MCM 2022 digital toolkit

Military Consumer Month 2022

The FTC has developed these blog posts, Facebook posts, tweets, and graphics to share ways to spot and avoid scams. Please share this content with your friends, family, colleagues, and social networks.

Facebook posts

July is Military Consumer Month! The FTC wants to share some ways to steer clear of rip-offs and scammers. If you’re preparing to leave the service, you might be looking at ways to make a living while you’re exploring new career options. Maybe you’ve arrived at a new duty station and your spouse is looking for work. Scammers advertise jobs and business opportunities online in ads, on job sites, and social media. Search online for the name of the company or the person who’s hiring you, plus the words “scam,” “review,” or “complaint.” You might find out they’ve scammed other people. Learn more at ftc.gov/incomescams.

American servicemembers sacrifice so much to honorably defend the nation. But dishonorable scammers make it their mission to con servicemembers out of their hard-earned money and benefits by pretending to be trusted companies and government agencies. During Military Consumer Month — and all year round — we’re empowering servicemembers, veterans, and their families to spot and avoid impersonator scams. More: https://bit.ly/3bhs6oL #MilConsumer2022

Military families: Identity thieves are getting clever with their tactics to swindle you. Protect your identity by protecting your personal information. Combat identity theft whether you’re moving, deploying, or simply enjoying your summer plans. More: IdentityTheft.gov #milfam #Milspouse #MilConsumer2022 

Thinking about buying a car this summer? July is Military Consumer Month, and the FTC wants you to know that fraudulent car dealers often target people in the military with bait-and-switch schemes or financing scams. The best way to stop them? Shop for your own financing first. Also, get an “out-the-door” price for the car from the dealer in writing before you visit the lot. Learn more at ftc.gov/cars #MilConsumer2022

As Military Consumer Month comes to a close, the work doesn’t end here. While servicemembers, veterans, and their families do so much for our country, scammers continue to target their hard-earned salaries and benefits year-round. Find out about the latest frauds and scams on MilitaryConsumer.gov — a one-stop-shop with updates, toolkits, and other resources to help you, your family, and fellow servicemembers spot and avoid scams and bad business practices. #MilConsumer2022

Tweets

Scammers advertise jobs & biz opportunities on job sites & social media. Search online for the name of the company or the person who’s hiring you & the words “scam,” “review,” or “complaint.” You might find out they’ve scammed other people. ftc.gov/incomescams #MilConsumer2022

Honest employers, including the federal government, will never ask you to pay to get a job. Anyone who does is a scammer. Honest employers also will never send you a check and then tell you to send them part of the money. That’s a fake check scam. ftc.gov/fakechecks #MilConsumer2022

Success stories and testimonials might not be true or typical. Glowing stories of success could be fake or misleading, and positive online reviews may have come from made-up profiles. ftc.gov/incomescams #MilConsumer2022

Share consumer know-how with your family, friends, and buddies. Tell them to follow @MilConsumer and join the conversation. https://bit.ly/3xLSOh1 #MilConsumer2022

If you spot a #scam, protect the military and veteran communities by reporting it. Let the FTC know at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. #MilConsumer2022

During Military Consumer Month — and all year round — we’re empowering servicemembers, veterans, and their families to spot and avoid impersonator scams. More: https://bit.ly/3bhs6oL #MilConsumer2022

Scammers might call or send you a text or email, pretending they’re tech support from Microsoft or Apple. They’ll tell you to put money on a gift card or spend cryptocurrency to protect yourself from a security breach. Don’t. It’s a scam. More: https://bit.ly/3bhs6oL #MilConsumer2022

Scammers might pretend to be government agencies like the IRS or Social Security. They’ll claim that something bad will happen if you don’t pay or give them your personal information. Or they might say you’ll miss out on some government benefit. Either way, that’s a scam. More: https://bit.ly/3bhs6oL #MilConsumer2022

Five years of identity theft data reported to the FTC show that active duty servicemembers are 76% more likely to report that an identity thief misused an existing account, such as a bank account or credit card. Protect your identity by protecting your personal information. More: IdentityTheft.gov #milfam #Milspouse #MilConsumer2022 

Whether you’re moving, deploying, or simply enjoying a summer vacation, identity theft can ruin your plans. Protect your identity by protecting your personal information. If you suspect identity theft, report it to the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov. #milfam #Milspouse #MilConsumer2022

Buying a car during Military Consumer Month? Shop for financing first. Learn more at ftc.gov/cars #MilConsumer2022

Fraudulent car dealers often target service members with bait-and-switch schemes or financing scams. Shop for financing before you shop for a car. Learn more at ftc.gov/cars #MilConsumer2022

As Military Consumer Month comes to a close, the work doesn’t end here. Find out about the latest frauds and scams this month and every month on MilitaryConsumer.gov. #MilConsumer2022

While servicemembers, veterans, and their families do so much for our country, scammers continue to target their hard-earned salaries and benefits. Read this year’s MilitaryConsumer.gov MCM blog series to learn more. #MilConsumer2022

Social Media Shareables

Blog Posts

For week of June 27, 2022: kick-off and job scams

Military Consumer Month 2022

By Carol Kando-Pineda, Staff Attorney, Federal Trade Commission

July is Military Consumer Month. Whether you’re a new recruit, a servicemember PCS’ing with your family, or a soon-to-be veteran, the FTC wants to share some ways to steer clear of rip-offs and scammers.

If you’re preparing to leave the service, you might be looking at ways to make a living while you’re exploring new career options. Maybe you’ve arrived at a new duty station and your spouse is looking for work. Today we’re talking about how to avoid job scams and bogus money-making schemes. Here are some things to know to sidestep potential pitfalls.

• Scammers advertise jobs and business opportunities online in ads, on job sites, and social media. Search online for the name of the company or the person who’s hiring you, plus the words “scam,” “review,” or “complaint.” You might find out they’ve scammed other people.
• Honest employers, including the federal government, will never ask you to pay to get a job. Anyone who does is a scammer. Honest employers also will never send you a check and then tell you to send them part of the money. That’s a fake check scam.
• Success stories and testimonials might not be true or typical. Glowing stories of success could be fake or misleading, and positive online reviews may have come from made-up profiles.

Take some time to talk to someone you trust about ads for jobs or business opportunity offers. And learn more at ftc.gov/incomescams.

During the month, we’ll post more consumer know-how. Share it with your family, friends, and buddies. Tell them to follow Military Consumer on Facebook and Twitter to be part of the conversation. If you spot a scam, protect the military and veteran communities by reporting it. Let the FTC know at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

For week of July 5, 2022

Defending against impersonator scams

By Andrew Rayo, Consumer Education Specialist

American servicemembers sacrifice so much to honorably defend the nation. But dishonorable scammers make it their mission to con servicemembers out of their hard-earned money and benefits by pretending to be trusted companies and government agencies. During Military Consumer Month — and all year round — we’re empowering servicemembers, veterans, and their families to spot and avoid impersonator scams.

Scammers come up with all sorts of stories to convince you to send money or share your information. They might call or send you a text or email, pretending they’re tech support from Microsoft or Apple. They’ll tell you to put money on a gift card or spend cryptocurrency to protect yourself from a security breach. Don’t. It’s a scam.

Scammers also pretend to be government agencies like the IRS or Social Security Administration. They’ll claim that something bad will happen if you don’t pay or give them your personal information. Or they might say you’ll miss out on some government benefit. Either way, that’s a scam.

Here’s how to spot the fakers:

• Know that nobody legit will ever contact you out of the blue, demanding money or information. Hang up. It’s a scam.
• Don’t trust caller ID. Scammers know how to fake caller ID so it looks like a real phone number. Even if it has a real name, don’t trust it.
• Never pay anyone who demands payment by wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency. Only scammers tell you to pay that way. Hang up if it’s a call. If it’s an email, text, or message on social media, don’t click any links.

You might spot these frauds — but someone you know might need extra backup. Please share this info with your friends, family, and fellow servicemembers and veterans. And report scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

For week of July 11

Military families combat identity theft amid life transitions 

By Terri Miller, Consumer Education Specialist

It’s summer, peak moving season for military servicemembers and their families. You’ve got enough on your plate without having to worry about identity theft. But the reality is scammers are getting more and more clever with their tactics to swindle members of the military community.

In fact, five years of identity theft data reported to the FTC on IdentityTheft.gov shows that active duty servicemembers are 76% more likely to report that an identity thief misused an existing bank or credit card account. So, here’s the BLUF, the bottom-line up front: Protect your identity by protecting your personal information.

Whether you’re moving, deploying, or simply enjoying your summer plans, protect yourself by following these rules of engagement: 

• Track your bank account activity. Check to see if your bank offers alerts for every transaction or transactions over a certain amount. Many banks have mobile apps that let you report lost or stolen debit cards and unauthorized transactions immediately.

• Lock or freeze cards you’re not using. Identity thieves can’t misuse your debit and credit cards if they’re on hold. Mobile apps give you quick access to lock and unlock your cards as needed.

• Sign up for free credit and identity monitoring. The Free Electronic Credit Monitoring for Active Duty Military Rule gives you access to free services like notifications whenever there’s activity on your credit reports. Add an active duty alert to your credit report to require creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before granting credit in your name.

If you suspect identity theft, report it to the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov. Help us spread the word by sharing this post using #MilConsumer2022 on Facebook and Twitter.

For week of July 18: Auto scams

Buying a car or truck?

By Jim Kreidler, Consumer Education Specialist

One thing that comes with being in the military is almost constant change — new cities, new homes, new friends — and new cars. As part of Military Consumer Month, if you’re thinking about buying a new car or truck, know that servicemembers and their families are often targets of fraudulent car dealers. Some unscrupulous dealers will advertise for a particular vehicle, or as military friendly, lure you to the dealership, then claim the vehicle is unavailable. They they’ll try to sell you on a different vehicle at a different (usually higher) price.

Here’s what to do:

• Before you shop for a car, shop for financing. By getting pre-approved for financing, you know the terms, including the annual percentage rate (APR), length of the loan (number of months), and maximum amount you can borrow.
• Get an “out-the-door” price for the car in writing (such as email) before you visit the lot, and before you talk financing with the dealer. That means getting the dealer to send you the total price of the car, before financing, including taxes and fees. That will help you make apples-to-apples comparisons with other offers and shop around for the best deal.
• It’s ok to say no to add-ons. Add-ons are not free. They’re extra products or services you buy and finance along with the car. Common add-ons include Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP insurance), window etching, and extended warranties and service contracts. If you don’t want an add-on, just say no. If you do want to buy an add-on, ask questions about its coverage and when it can be used. It’s never ok for dealers to charge you for add-ons without your consent.
• Your time is valuable, and your bargaining power is greatest before you go to the lot. Remember that you have rights. You also may want to look at an FTC staff report that highlights some of the challenges people face while buying and financing vehicles.

Learn more at ftc.gov/cars. And, if you believe a dealership charged hidden fees, discriminated against you, or lied in their advertisements, please tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Week of July 25: MCM wrap-up blog

Tune into Military Consumer all year long

By Kira Krown, Consumer Education Specialist

As Military Consumer Month comes to a close, the work doesn’t end here. While servicemembers, veterans, and their families do so much for our country, scammers continue to target their hard-earned salaries and benefits year-round.

Find out about the latest frauds and scams this month and every month on MilitaryConsumer.gov. At this one-stop shop, you’ll find information from government agencies, consumer advocates, and military support groups. Updates, toolkits, and other resources will help you, your family, and fellow servicemembers spot and avoid scams and bad business practices.

This year’s Military Consumer Month blog series included three issues affecting military families. Check them out to learn more about how to help.

• Protect your personal information from scammers trying to steal your identity. According to the FTC’s data, active duty servicemembers are significantly more likely than civilians to report that an identity thief misused one of their accounts.
• Spot the signs of an imposter scam. That’s where a scammer pretends to be from the government, tech support, or another trusted source to trick you into sending money or sharing personal details.
• Keep an eye out for fraud when buying a new car or truck. Some dealers may claim the price is higher than was advertised in listings or charge hidden fees to try to get you to pay more than you should.

This month and every month, stay connected to Military Consumer by signing up for email updates and following us on Twitter and Facebook.