Fraud Alerts

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.

People are telling the FTC they’ve gotten letters in the mail from law firms about unclaimed life insurance money. Have you gotten one of these? The “lawyer” says that one of their clients, with your same last name, died and you’re the heir to a life insurance policy worth millions. (Spoiler alert: you’re not.) The letter then explains that they’d like to split the proceeds between you, some charity organizations, and their law firm. But what’s really happening here?

Scammers have been taking advantage of how much people love animals. They’ll steal and manipulate pet images, videos, and even use AI-generated deepfakes to help them trick you into giving them your money or personal information. Fortunately, there are ways to help you detect and avoid these kinds of scams:

Summer is here! If you haven’t made your vacation plans yet, you might be looking for a deal. While you look for bargains, scammers are looking for ways to reach you…and your money. Here are some things to know to help you avoid travel scams.