MilConsumer Blog Feed

It’s back to school time. That means forms, forms and more forms – the school directory, scholarships, sports teams, scouts, and the list goes on. As you get started, consider these tips for keeping your child’s personal information safe, from pre-school through college.

In order to attract unsuspecting investors and gain their trust, fraudsters may boast about credentials they do not have. They may fabricate, exaggerate, or hide facts about their backgrounds to portray themselves as successful professionals and to make you believe that the investments they offer are legitimate. Others may repeat these misrepresentations and contribute – perhaps unintentionally – to a fraudster’s false reputation of success and professional accomplishment.

If you're part of the millennial generation, your financial life is probably no walk down easy street. A new study by the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, The Financial Capability of Young Adults—A Generational View, reveals that American millennials—those born between 1978 and 1994—show concern about their debt, engage in problematic financial behaviors and display low levels of financial literacy. The study examined financial attitudes, behaviors and knowledge of more than 6,700 millennials—and while most respondents were civilians, millennials make up the largest cohort within the armed forces. Survey results paint a troubling financial portrait of the millennial generation:

What’s going on in your life today? Preparing to graduate? Have a changing family dynamic? Returning from military service? Or just moving into this country? Big life changes seem to come frequently, and they don’t just impact your daily routine — they can affect your finances, too. Here are some ideas to help you land on your feet when you face a change. Because who has time to panic?

You wouldn’t leave your house keys in the door, would you? Of course not — most people keep their homes and cars locked and secured at all times. If not, someone could get in and steal your belongings and personal information.

Ever complete an online application to get the best rate on a loan? Or enter your email address on a website to learn more about colleges you’d like to attend? Getting products and information this way can be convenient and very fast. But the information you share may go through the hands of middlemen you may not know exist.

Are you a servicemember, family member, PFM or other leader in the military community? You won't want to miss this webinar on July 13 at 1:00pm (EDT) with tips from our new site, IdentityTheft.gov. Recovering from identity theft is easier with a plan. Learn about the Federal Trade Commission’s new site, IdentityTheft.gov, which streamlines and consolidates the federal government’s resources to combat this crime. We’ll also discuss other forms of identity theft affecting tax returns, medical files and even children’s future credit history, as well as best practices to help you protect your information. We hope you'll join us to learn the latest about bouncing back from identity theft.

It’s no secret that servicemembers and their families face particular challenges and stresses. Scam artists are skilled at knowing exactly how to exploit those challenges. They’ll lie or try any trickery to make a grab for a servicemember’s cash. That’s why the FTC has teamed up with the Department of Defense, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Office of Servicemember Affairs, and Military Saves on Military Consumer — a campaign to empower military and veteran communities with tips and tools to be informed consumers.

Have you ever thought about having your very own solar system — that is, solar panel system? You may see ads urging homeowners to “go solar” — use renewable energy, buy less electricity from the utility and maybe get a tax break. There are several ways to get solar power at home: you can buy a rooftop system, lease a system, or sign a power purchase agreement (PPA) to buy power a system produces. If you’re thinking of using solar power at home, consider the costs and benefits of the arrangements:

Let me set the scene: your friend John is rushing to get his daughter from school and his son to the soccer field, and he still needs to stop at the grocery store because there’s nothing in the fridge. In the midst of this everyday madness, he gets a text message from Google with a verification code. He thinks, “That’s weird. Maybe I should log in to my email and see what’s going on.” Before he has a chance, he gets another message. It says: Google has detected unusual activity on your account. Please reply with the verification code sent to your mobile device to stop unauthorized activity. What should John do?