Consumer Alerts

Identity theft can happen in a lot of ways: a stolen wallet, a missing phone, or a hacked online account. Then there are impersonators — scammers who pretend to be almost anyone. They’ll tell you

Free means free, right? If you’re TurboTax, not always, according to a new ruling from the Federal Trade Commission. And not for everybody, or even most people— even if an ad says “100% free.” You

The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) gives parents control over what information websites can collect from their kids and how they use and share that information. The FTC now proposes

The Department of Justice and the Navy will never ask you to pay to file a disability claim. Want to know who will? Scammers. Keep scammers away from your personal information — and your money — while

Have you gotten a call about a prize for a contest you never entered? It might be a scam. We’ve been hearing about scammers calling to say you’ve won a boatload of money from Publishers Clearing House

When you order something online, you might get several emails or text messages about your order: Confirming your order. Telling you it shipped. Saying it's out for delivery. Notifying you about

According to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel, auto-related issues are in the top ten report categories for military consumers. Why would cars — or trucks or other vehicles — be such a problem for the

Scams can be hard to spot because they often look just like the real thing. That includes job scams. They crop up on real job sites, including places like LinkedIn. Scammers have even invited people

QR codes seem to be everywhere. You may have scanned one to see the menu at a restaurant or pay for public parking. And you may have used one on your phone to get into a concert or sporting event, or

Recently, the White House announced some initiatives the Administration is undertaking to improve the lives of the military and veteran communities. The FTC participates in several of these efforts

Trouble making car payments? Worried about repossession? Unexpected life events, like a job loss or drop in income, may affect your ability to pay your bills, including car payments. If you’re worried

Giving Tuesday is a terrific time to support your favorite cause or charity. Here’s how to avoid charity scams and make your donations count.

You may have heard us say when you’re shopping online, check things out before checkout. The same advice applies to giveaways on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. Here’s why: One in four

If you’re a veteran’s surviving family or caregiver, you may be eligible for expanded burial benefits that help cover certain funeral expenses. But scammers may contact you, saying that for a fee they

Don't pay any money until the company delivers the results you want. The Mortgage Assistance Relief Services (MARS) Rule (also called Regulation O) makes it illegal for a company to charge you a penny

Today we’re focusing on how dishonest “advisers” may try to get your pension benefits and disability compensation, including benefits under the PACT Act. Applying for VA benefits is free and you can

As we approach Veterans Day, we thank our veterans for their service and sacrifice. But not everyone has a vet’s best interests in mind. Whether you left the service decades ago or you’re planning

Did you get a message from a “brand ambassador manager” for a national company wanting to pay you to promote their products online? It could be a scam…but how will you know? If you’re an influencer or

Halloween is almost here. What could be scarier than not having your costume ready? How about ordering a costume online and never getting what you paid for? Scammers are making this season extra

It’s unfair and illegal to increase the amount someone ends up paying to buy or lease a car based on their race or how they look. But that’s how the FTC says a group of three auto dealerships in