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Consumer Alert

Do you have an emergency and recovery plan? Get started or update it this National Preparedness Month

Gema de las Heras
With more powerful and frequent natural disasters — even affecting areas where they weren’t typical — you might have something like “update or make my emergency plan” on your to do list. The FTC has information and tools to help you avoid fraud as you prepare and recover from an emergency. And this National Preparedness Month we’re partnering with FEMA to bring you free webinars in English and Spanish with step-by-step guidance to get ready.
Consumer Alert

Hang up on unwanted calls about loans

Bridget Small
People are reporting getting calls (and calls) (and more calls) about their supposed “loan application.” Only they hadn’t applied for a loan. So what’s going on?
Consumer Alert

Got a call about unpaid college tuition? It could be a scam

Terri Miller
For college students and parents, paying tuition is often at the top of the to-do list each semester. Imagine getting a call from someone who supposedly works at your school, saying you haven’t paid the bill. They threaten to drop your classes unless you send money right away. The call might raise alarm bells, but slow down — you might end up paying a scammer instead of the real tuition and fees.
Consumer Alert

FTC says Care.com misled workers

Ari Lazarus
Looking for local caregiver gigs that pay well? Care.com said it could help, for a monthly subscription fee. But, in a settlement announced today, the FTC says Care.com misled workers about how many jobs were available on the platform and how much they could earn — and made it hard to cancel subscriptions — costing a lot of people a lot of time and money.
Consumer Alert

Home title lock insurance? Not a lock at all

Larissa Bungo
If you’ve seen ads for home title lock insurance, they might have you worried. After all, the ads say thieves can steal the title to your home. But then the ads tell you to buy title lock insurance to supposedly prevent home title theft. Stop. Take a breath. It’s just a ploy to scare you.
Consumer Alert

Three ways to protect the personal info on your phone

Alvaro Puig
Imagine carrying a written copy of all your conversations with you everywhere you went. Or copies of your account numbers, usernames, and passwords. Or all the photos and videos you’ve ever taken. I bet you’d do just about everything in your power to protect all that valuable information. Well, your mobile phone holds all that stuff — and maybe more. Are you doing everything in your power to keep it from ending up in the wrong hands? Here are three things you can do today to protect the personal information on your phone.
Consumer Alert

Five ways to keep scammers and hackers away

Alvaro Puig
We’re living in the data age. The things we do on our phones and computers, on our internet-enabled smart devices, and on websites leave a trail of our activities and our personal information. That personal information has value — not just to us, but to scammers and hackers who want to steal our identities. Here are five things you can do to keep scammers and hackers at bay.
Consumer Alert

How to get legit information about your federal student loans

Ari Lazarus
If you have federal student loans, you probably got an email last month from Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. (The email address it showed was [email protected].) It has important information about your options for loan forgiveness. While that email is legit, scammers spread fake information about your student loans to try to get money or information from you.
Consumer Alert

Did you ask for all those add-ons? Protect yourself at the dealership

Kira Krown
The signs of a good car-buying experience? Things like trust, transparency, and fairness at the dealership. The signs of a bad car-buying experience? Things like misleading ads, bogus fees, and discriminatory practices. How can you protect yourself when buying a car?
Consumer Alert

Car dealerships can’t charge you for add-ons you don’t want

Ari Lazarus
Car dealerships offer buyers lots of add-ons — like service or maintenance contracts, or special car paint coatings — that add up quickly. So, when buyers decline optional add-ons, they don’t expect to end up paying for those extra things. But that's exactly what the FTC says happened to many buyers when three dealerships in Texas owned by Asbury Automotive used (illegal) ways to sneak in add-ons.
Consumer Alert

Only scammers say they’ll remove all negative information from your credit report

Bridget Small
Is there information on your credit report that’s correct, but not so good? Don’t believe ads that promise an easy fix. There are ways to fix mistakes on your credit report, but you can’t legally remove information that’s correct and up to date — and no one else can either, no matter what their ads promise.
Consumer Alert

“When are you free for coffee?” Long lost friend or a scammer trying to get you to respond?

Terri Miller
You get a text message from a number you don’t know, asking when you’re free to catch up over a cup of coffee. Don’t perk up just yet. That invitation for a coffee date might sound like it’s from a friend you’ve lost touch with, but it’s probably just a scammer looking to start a conversation with you. Not sure how to respond? The short answer is: Don’t. Keep reading to find out why.
Consumer Alert

How to avoid getting burned by solar or clean energy scams

Larissa Bungo
When temperatures rise, utility costs do, too. While reputable companies can help you save money with clean or solar energy improvements, scammers offer more than they can deliver. The scams vary, but here’s the gist: someone claiming to be with the government or your utility company promises big savings on your utility bills from solar energy or other home improvements designed to increase energy efficiency. If you agree to the scammer’s offer, it could cost you tens of thousands of dollars.