Consumer Alerts

Gift cards are one quick way to get through your last-minute holiday shopping list. But before you give (and get) gift cards, here are a few things you need to know. Inspect gift cards before you buy

What’s on your holiday wish list? Perhaps a smart speaker for your kids’ bedroom, or a cuddly cool internet-connected smart toy to help them learn? Before you give one of these connected toys, read

November is Military Family Month, a time to recognize the unique challenges that families face when supporting their servicemembers. Children may need to deal with a parent’s deployment or uprooting

Holidays often mean time with family and friends. If you’re looking for conversation starters that avoid tricky topics – like who should’ve won the World Series – why not chat about scams? Pass it On

When people report scams to the FTC, we learn a lot about how they experience fraud. These fraud reports are important for law enforcement and education efforts. And, as more and more people report

November 11 is Veterans Day. More than 18 million people are U.S. military veterans. It’s a fitting time to thank military veterans for their sacrifice and service in protecting the United States. It

Chances are you know an influencer – a person who works with a brand to recommend or endorse a product in social media. Maybe you work at a company that uses influencers or perhaps that describes you

This week is the sixth annual National Veterans Small Business Week. Once again, the FTC joins with the Small Business Administration to celebrate and support veterans who are small businesses owners

Starting October 31, many members of the military will have access to a free tool to help spot identity theft. The nationwide credit reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – have

Your personal information is valuable. That’s why hackers try to steal it. This year, for National Cyber Security Awareness Month, we’ve got tips to help you keep your personal information from ending

If your cell phone is your go-to device for checking your email, paying your bills, or posting to social media, you’re not alone. So imagine that your cell phone suddenly stops working: no data, no

Sometimes the FTC is able to return money to people who were ripped off in a con artist’s scheme. But scammers try to cause confusion and take advantage at every step. If you lost money in a scam, you

Are you thinking about joining a multi-level marketing business to earn extra money? Before investing your hard-earned cash, make sure you’re not dealing with a pyramid scheme – a scam that can cost

Lots of people fall for scams. Is it any different for Millennials? That’s what the FTC explores in its new Data Spotlight, Not what you think: Millennials and fraud. According to the Data Spotlight

Online dating sites are a common way people seek romance. But what if, instead of a potential match, you find a scammer? Today, t he FTC announced a lawsuit against Match.com, challenging several of

We’ve seen a new twist on the Social Security Administration (SSA) scam recently. Check out this SSA imposter robocall, which says your benefits will end. (That’s not true, by the way.) Your browser

If you suffered damage from Hurricane Dorian, or if you’re looking for ways to help those in need, start at ftc.gov/weatheremergencies. You’ll find ways to spot the scams that often follow disasters

Dishonest companies set up websites that look like legitimate places to get information on finding a job, joining the military, or getting government benefits. But they might not help you with any of

If you needed yet another nudge to start keeping an eye on your credit report to protect against identity theft, Capital One has delivered it with its announcement that a data breach has exposed the

We’re seeing a new spin on gift card scams. This time, scammers are pretending to be a pastor, rabbi, priest, imam, or bishop. They’re asking worshipers for gift card contributions for a worthy cause