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.
For many, the beginning of the year is often a time for taking stock and planning for the year to come. If you’re looking for ways to strengthen your financing footing in the new year, the FTC’s consumer.gov has tools that can help.
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.
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.
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.
Identity theft is one of the most-reported problems to the FTC every year. So, chances are, it’s affected you or someone you know. That’s why the FTC and its partners dedicate a week to raising awareness and organizing events to help everyone protect and recover from identity theft.
Tax season is approaching, and if you’re getting a refund, scammers are looking to steal it before you’ve had a chance to claim it. So, before you respond to a text or email about a “tax refund” — especially one that asks you to click a link — know that this could be a scam designed to get your personal information and steal your tax refund.
You get a text message, supposedly following up on a $10,000 loan application. Only, you never applied for a loan. Is this pure luck or a scam? Before you use the callback number in the message to find out, or even reply “NO” to cancel the application, learn to spot a fake loan text scam.
