Consumer Alerts

Skimmers are illegal card readers attached to payment terminals — like gas pumps — that grab data off a credit or debit card’s magnetic stripe without your knowledge. Criminals sell the stolen data or

Here at the FTC, we’re known for getting things done on behalf of regular people. Unfortunately, sometimes scammers try to take advantage of our good reputation. The latest example: Some people have

Before you head to the eye doctor, take 30 seconds to watch a new video from the FTC about your eyewear prescription rights. Federal law requires your eye doctor to give you your contact lens

You might have seen ads for companies that say they can reduce your debt – sometimes for cents on the dollar. All you have to do is pay them. But these offers are not always what they seem. Watch this

Our new fotonovela, Talking about Scams, tells the story of Eva and her husband, Pablo, who learn how talking about a scam can help someone avoid falling for a scam. As the story illustrates, if you

Identity theft can happen to anyone. I’m a fraud investigator, and I’d like to tell you about my identity theft. Knowing how to respond will help you if you ever have to recover your identity. My

Score one for people on the Do Not Call list. It’s been eight years of tenacious litigation by the Department of Justice, the FTC, and the Attorneys General of California, Illinois, North Carolina

Over the years, lots of rip-offs have been built around exotic “investment” strategies that were pitched as simple. Recently, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading

On June 8 , @MilConsumer and @StopFraudCo (the Stop Fraud campaign of the Colorado Attorney General’s Office) will host a chat to discuss how to avoid travel and vacation scams. The chat starts at 3

When shopping for a big-ticket item, you probably do some research. Whether talking to friends, perusing a store, or checking online reviews, you want to get the most for your money. You might even

Amazon will make up to $70 million in refunds available to customers who were charged for unauthorized in-app purchases made by a child. You may be eligible for a refund from Amazon if you were billed

The FTC will mail more than $1.9 million in refund checks to people who bought Pure Health and Genesis Today green coffee bean extract supplements from stores including Walmart. More than 38,500

Whether stationed stateside or deployed to another part of the world, our military personnel make sacrifices during their service. Some have made the ultimate sacrifice. In fact, since the country’s

If you’ve been affected by a data breach, or otherwise had your information hacked or stolen, you’ve probably asked yourself, “What happens when my stolen information is made public?” At the FTC’s

Summer is around the corner, and I’m dreaming about my next vacation! There are so many places to visit, and a lot of travel deals to consider. My budget and time are limited, so I have to choose

When you tell us about a scam, it helps us investigate scammers. But it also helps us warn other people about the scam – so they can avoid it. Our partners at US Citizenship and Immigration Services (

Think you got an email from a business you know? Scammers sometimes use emails that look legit to trick you into sending money to them. The email might say it’s from a real estate professional you’re

You’ve probably heard about the ransomware attack affecting organizations’ computer systems around the world. It seems to affect server software on organizations’ networked computers. But ransomware

Ever wonder if your dietary supplements are truly safe, effective and risk-free? If you are a member of the military, this question can be particularly important. Servicemembers often are targeted by

There’s a new scam out there, preying on veterans who are making decisions about their medical care. The Veterans Choice Program (VCP) is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)