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Student Loan Forgiveness Scam Sep 25, 2024 | posted by Lily Chavez #education #scams #ftc-article #fraud As back-to-school season begins, those with federal loans may have received a legitimate email from Education Secretary Miguel Cardona about loan forgiveness. However, it's important to be cautious, as not all such emails are genuine.   Only three official email addresses are... Full Article
FTC Scam Awareness: Five Ways to Keep Scammers and Hackers Away By By Alvaro Puig, Consumer Education Specialist Sep 25, 2024 | posted by Conner Williams #education #scams #ftc-article #fraud Courtesy of the Federal Trade Commission's Consumer Education Blog  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... Full Article
FTC Scam Awareness: Why It's Not Rude to Ignore "Hi, How Are You?" Text Messages from Strangers From the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Protection Blog By Gema de las Heras, FTC Consumer Education Specialist Jun 6, 2024 | posted by Conner Williams #scams #security #education #ftc-article A text message from an unknown number that simply says: hi, how are you? seems harmless. Your first instinct might be to respond to see if it’s someone you know. Or maybe tell them they made a mistake. But it’s best to ignore these type of text messages. Scammers are using this tactic as a... Full Article
The IRS Doesn't Send Tax Refunds by Email or Text From the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Protection Blog By Larissa Bungo, Senior Attorney Feb 20, 2024 | posted by Conner Williams #scams #security #ftc-article Got an email or text message about a tax refund? It’s a scam. IRS impersonators are at it again. This time, the scammers are sending messages about your “tax refund” or “tax refund e-statement.” It might look legit, but it’s an email or text fake, trying to trick you into clicking on links so... Full Article
How Are Robocallers Getting Your Phone Number? From the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Protection Blog By Andrew Rayo, Consumer Education Specialist Jan 18, 2024 | posted by Conner Williams #scams #security #ftc-article Does it ever feel like you’re getting more robocalls than calls from actual humans? Illegal robocalls aren’t just annoying — they’re also often scams. But you might be wondering — how did they get my number in the first place? Sometimes robocalls are random. But sometimes, a company tries to... Full Article
'Tis the season to spot and avoid gift card scams By By Kira Krown, Federal Trade Commission Consumer Education Specialist Dec 12, 2022 | posted by Conner Williams #scams #tips #ftc-article #security #education Article courtesy of the  Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice blog Looking for a New Year’s resolution? Here’s one for you: Keep your hard-earned money safe from scammers by spotting and avoiding gift card scams. Then help others spot and avoid them, too. Scammers want you to pay with gift... Full Article
Don’t click on that random text. It’s a scam By Gema de las Heras, Federal Trade Commission Aug 16, 2022 | posted by Conner Williams #scams #news #tips #ftc-article #security Sorry to burst your bubble. That unexpected text from the Postal Service (USPS), Costco, or The Home Depot telling you about an unclaimed package or a survey you can complete to claim a freebie is NOT from them. It’s a scam. The FTC has seen a spike in reports from people getting text messages... Full Article
Not enough baby formula means plenty of scammers FTC Consumer Information By Colleen Tressler May 19, 2022 | posted by Jason Nugent #ftc-article #scams Scammers exploiting the high demand for baby formula have sunk to new lows. They’re popping up online and tricking desperate parents and caregivers into paying steep prices for formula that never arrives. Scammers may set up fake websites or profiles on social media platforms with... Full Article
Shutting down tech support scams FTC Consumer Information By Andrew Rayo May 16, 2022 | posted by Jason Nugent #ftc-article #scams With technology, it’s easier than ever to connect with others and people are just a click or call away. Nobody knows that better than scammers — who might try to contact you about a supposed virus or malware they’ve “found” on your device. So, during this Older Americans Month, remember —... Full Article
The Google Voice scam: How this verification code scam works and how to avoid it By Alvaro Puig Dec 29, 2021 | posted by Jason Nugent #ftc-article #scams It’s Cyber Security Awareness month, so the tricks scammers use to steal our personal information are on our minds. If there’s one constant among scammers, it’s that they’re always coming up with new schemes, like the Google Voice verification scam. Have you heard about it? Here’s how it works.... Full Article
’Tis the season for student loan scam calls By Emily Wu Dec 15, 2021 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams #ftc-article If you have a federal student loan, you probably already know that the Coronavirus emergency relief program that has paused your payments is ending. Repayments will begin again after January 31, 2022. Scammers know it, too, and are looking for ways to take advantage: they’re calling, texting,... Full Article
Child Tax Credit scammers are still reaching out By Emily Wu Dec 8, 2021 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams #ftc-article Many people have gotten their advance Child Tax Credit payments this year, but scammers are taking advantage of this new program to try to trick you out of money or information. They’re pretending to be the IRS, contacting people by phone, text, email, and social media — and sending people to... Full Article
The Google Voice scam How this verification code scam works and how to avoid it By Alvaro Puig Nov 2, 2021 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams #ftc-article It’s Cyber Security Awareness month, so the tricks scammers use to steal our personal information are on our minds. If there’s one constant among scammers, it’s that they’re always coming up with new schemes, like the Google Voice verification scam. Have you heard about it? Here’s how it works.... Full Article
Hang up on auto warranty robocalls By Emily Wu May 20, 2021 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams #ftc-article #tip Have you gotten a recorded phone message from “Susie” with the “Vehicle Service Department” calling about your vehicle warranty? That’s, like, so retro. But fanny packs, scrunchies, and tie dye are back — and so are vehicle warranty robocalls. It starts when you pick up a call and hear a... Full Article
Unwanted calls: Just block ’em and report ’em FTC Consumer Information May 13, 2021 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams #ftc-article Unwanted calls are annoying. They can feel like a constant interruption — and many are from scammers. Unfortunately, technology makes it easy for scammers to make millions of calls a day. So this week, as part of Older Americans Month, we’re talking about how to block unwanted calls — for... Full Article
When it’s Not Really the Government Calling Apr 20, 2021 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams #ftc-article Lots of people are having trouble sleeping, thanks to the pandemic and all the parts of our lives it’s affecting. And it doesn’t help when you get a call saying you owe the government money. Oh, and, they add, you’ll go to jail if you don’t pay up immediately. That’s a scam, and nothing to lose... Full Article
Fake Price Offers Don't Pay Apr 19, 2021 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams #ftc-article The pandemic has caused financial distress because of lost jobs, income, and homes, and emotional distress because of social isolation. This week, during National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), we want your help to reach people who might be a bit cut off from their social network. The FTC... Full Article