Fraud Alerts

Did you get a package you didn’t order? It could be a brushing scam where a scammer uses your name to leave a fake review for that package you didn’t order. It could also be a sign that someone has (or is looking to steal) your personal information.

Planning to pay a bill online? Before you start searching for a company’s payment site, know that dishonest companies sometimes use paid search ads to trick you into paying them instead of the company or agency you’re looking for. Here’s how it happens.

If you owe back taxes, there are ways to get real help. But dishonest companies will promise to get rid of your debt for “pennies on the dollar,” before even looking into your tax situation. They’ll often charge service fees without actually doing anything for you, and leave you further in the hole with local, state, or federal tax authorities.

You’re browsing your social media feed when an ad grabs your attention mid-swipe: that designer bag you’ve been dreaming of is 50% off for a limited time only! You’re dying to get your hands on one, so you don’t think twice about clicking on the ad. Why would you? The ad is right there in your feed and it looks real, so you trust that it’s legit. But it might not be. That’s because social media platforms don’t always thoroughly vet the ads you see or the advertisers behind them.

Learn to trade online! Get rich! Quit your job!

Social media is flooded with people flashing fancy cars and exotic trips, claiming you can have the same lifestyle just by “learning to trade.” But they rarely mention the truth: trading is risky, there are no guaranteed returns, and you can lose a lot of money fast.

With a new school year just around the corner, now’s a good time to familiarize yourself with common scams targeting students and recent grads. Given the significant costs associated with obtaining a degree, criminals often try to take advantage of those looking to make some extra cash or obtain relief from loans.

Unfortunately, college students are often targeted by scammers. Common schemes include too-good-to-be-true work offers, debt relief claims, and fake scholarships or other financial aid. Of course, anyone can be targeted by these frauds, but college towns and campuses are frequent hunting grounds.

Getting ready for college or back-to-school is a good time to talk with your teens about financial wellness. To help guide the conversation, the FTC has free tools on managing money, building credit, and protecting against identity theft. Creating good habits takes time, but here are some ideas to get you started.

They’re the worst of the absolute worst: scams that target people who have already lost money to a scam. If you or someone you know paid a scammer, here’s what to know to avoid scammers who pretend to be helpers.

Let’s say someone contacts you unexpectedly and says you have to pay to fix a problem, get a prize, or something else. But then they say the only way to pay is by bank transfer, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, payment app, or gift card. Well, reports to the FTC show that’s a scam.

CAPTCHA checks—or pop-ups with a quick test to determine if the computer user is a robot—have become inescapable on the modern web. The FTC is warning that fraudsters are spreading fake CAPTCHA requests to take advantage of consumers. If you aren’t paying attention, criminals can quickly take control of your device.