Fraud Alerts

Top Ten Scams of 2025 report reveals troubling trends. Phishing scams surged and investment scams–especially those involving cryptocurrency–caused devastating financial losses, and reports from younger consumers increased sharply.

As the holiday season becomes an ever more distant memory, the holiday bills might not be. If you’re looking to pick up a side gig to make extra cash, pay down debt, or catch up on some bills, know that scammers are looking to make money, too. One of their hustles is advertising fake jobs. So how do you tell a legit gig from a scam?

Unemployment benefits can be a life saver if you’re between jobs. But what happens if a scammer misuses your personal information, like your Social Security number (SSN) to file a fraudulent unemployment claim? That’s identity theft.

Met someone new online…but you still haven’t met in person? With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s a great time to make sure you know how to recognize a romance scam.

If a debt collector calls, do you know what to do? You have rights. Debt collectors can’t harass, lie, or treat you unfairly — even if you owe the debt. Before you pay, confirm a debt is actually yours — not someone else’s or a scam to get your money. Consider talking to the collector at least once to find out, even if you don’t think you owe the money. To help you avoid a scam, here’s what to do next.

Your phone rings and what the caller says next sends you into a panic. They claim there’s fraud on your credit card, someone hacked your bank account, you owe a tax debt, or your benefits will end today. Your adrenaline is pumping, and your mind races a hundred miles an hour. They sense this—and they say they can help. Should you trust them? No.

If you’re one of the many millions of people eligible for a refund from the FTC’s settlement with Amazon, you might already have gotten a check for up to $51. If you got it and deposited or cashed it, you’re all set. You might also have gotten an email or postcard this month with instructions on how to submit a claim. But based on what we’re hearing from consumers, some people have questions about Amazon’s refund process and their eligibility, whether they need to file a claim, and how to do it. If that’s you, let’s get you to some answers.

Cybercriminals target companies big and small. Today is Data Privacy Day — a great opportunity to take a look at how you keep your business and customer data protected. Get started with the FTC’s updated resources at ftc.gov/cybersecurity.

While the gift-giving holidays are over, scammers still want gift card money. Some scammers might even reach out by pretending to be your boss and asking you to buy gift cards for them. But it’s a scam. Here’s how to spot and avoid it.

It’s going to take time to recover from the winter storm that affected a large part of the country and left hundreds of thousands without power. You can be sure that, after a big storm like this one, utility and other scammers aren’t far behind.