FTC Alert: Looking for work after Coronavirus layoffs?

Looking for work after Coronavirus layoffs? by Lisa Weintraub Schifferle - Attorney, FTC, Division of Consumer & Business Education Have you been laid off due to the Coronavirus? Or maybe your small business shut down? Today, the FTC kicks off a series of blogs with tips about handling the financial impact of the Coronavirus.  These days, many people start by looking for ways to make money working from home. If you're eyeing a work-at-home gig, here are some things to keep in mind. Read more  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/04/looking-work-after-coronavirus-layoffs This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Alert: Looking for work after Coronavirus layoffs?

FTC Consumer Alert: What Do Not Call complaints are telling us

What Do Not Call complaints are telling us by Amy Hebert, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC Have you gotten a call from an imposter, maybe someone pretending to be with the Social Security Administration, IRS, or a tech support company, this year? If so, you're not alone. Calls from imposters were the most-reported topic of unwanted calls to the FTC over the past year (FY2019). You can see our annual report on Do Not Call complaints, with state-specific data. But here are some key takeaways. Read more  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/10/what-do-not-call-complaints-are-telling-us?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Consumer Alert: What Do Not Call complaints are telling us

FTC Consumer Alert: Getting bombarded by scam calls? You’re not alone.

Getting bombarded by scam calls? You're not alone. by Jim Kreidler, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC The Social Security Administration (SSA) scam is the number one scam reported to the FTC right now. As soon as a caller threatens you, or demands you pay them with a gift card or by wiring money.  It's a scam.  Even if the caller ID tells you otherwise. Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/12/getting-bombarded-scam-calls-youre-not-alone?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

FTC Consumer Alert: Getting bombarded by scam calls? You’re not alone.

FTC Consumer Alert: Isoprex misleads seniors

Isoprex misleads seniors by Lisa Weintraub Schifferle, Attorney, FTC, Division of Consumer and Business Education "Isoprex Slashes Pain in 5 Days – Naturally!" "Walking without a Cane!" "Clinically Proven!" "Relieves painful swelling in 100% of even the worst cases."  These claims are false or misleading, according to the FTC's complaint against Isoprex's distributor, Renaissance Health Publishing, Inc. Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/04/isoprex-misleads-seniors? This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Consumer Alert: Isoprex misleads seniors

FTC Alert: It’s National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

It's National Cybersecurity Awareness Month by Ari Lazarus Consumer Education Specialist, FTC October is spooky enough with its ghouls and goblins. National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is here to remind us how to stay safe and secure from real (and maybe even scarier) threats – malware and scammers. Read more  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/10/its-national-cybersecurity-awareness-month?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Alert: Put the brakes on phony online car sales

Put the brakes on phony online car sales by Colleen Tressler, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC You can buy practically anything online, including used cars. But before you shell out any hard-earned cash, here's a warning about scammers trying to sell cars they don't have or own. Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/06/put-brakes-phony-online-car-sales?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Consumer Alert: AT&T Unlimited Data Customers Getting Refunds

AT&T Unlimited Data Customers Getting Refunds by Alvaro Puig, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC You might have heard that AT&T agreed to return $60 million to customers for allegedly reducing the data speed on their unlimited data plans without telling them.  In its 2014 complaint, the FTC said that AT&T's practice of data throttling – slowing down the data speed for unlimited customers who used large amounts of data – was unfair and deceptive.  It was unfair because AT&T promised unlimited data, but didn't give customers the data they paid for. And it was deceptive because AT&T didn't tell customers it was reducing their data speed, says the FTC. Read more  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/11/att-unlimited-data-customers-getting-refunds?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission

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Additional details on settlement

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/11/att-pay-60-million-resolve-ftc-allegations-it-misled-consumers

FTC Alert: Make it a scam-free vacation

Make it a scam-free vacation by Lisa Lake Consumer Education Specialist, FTC It's almost summer! Right now, you probably have beaches on the brain or you're thinking about that long-planned trip abroad. Before you head out, take steps to help keep your dream vacation from becoming a nightmare: Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/05/make-it-scam-free-vacation?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Consumer Alert: Operation Donate with Honor continues

Operation Donate with Honor continues by Rosario Méndez Attorney, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC Last year, the FTC and state charity regulators joined in Operation Donate with Honor to stop sham veterans charities from lying to donors.  Today the FTC is announcing that it shut down two more operations that collected donations with false promises of helping veterans and military service members. Read more online https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/03/operation-donate-honor-continues?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Consumer Alert: COVID-19 scam reports, by the numbers

COVID-19 scam reports, by the numbers by Paul Witt, Lead Data Analyst, Division of Consumer Response & Operations If you're a regular reader of this blog — or of the news, you know that scammers are out in force, taking advantage of all aspects of the Coronavirus pandemic. We've spotted plenty of bogus cures and treatments, but many of you have told the FTC about straight-up scams, like texts/emails/calls from a "government agency" promising to get your relief money for you.  Others have told us about things that could be scams (or could be businesses catching up with the new reality) — like websites that promise scarce cleaning products or masks (that never arrive), or problems related to getting money back for cancelled travel plans. Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/04/covid-19-scam-reports-numbers This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Consumer Alert: COVID-19 scam reports, by the numbers

FTC Alert: What you need to know if you were a MOBE customer

What you need to know if you were a MOBE customer by Alvaro Puig Consumer Education Specialist, FTC We recently wrote about steps that the FTC took to stop MOBE, an internet business-coaching scheme that was promoting a bogus online business opportunity to retirees and veterans. We've gotten a lot of questions from MOBE customers on our consumer blog and business blog. Here's what you need to know if you were a MOBE customer. Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/08/what-you-need-know-if-you-were-mobe-customer?utm_source=govdelivery and https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2018/06/ftc-action-halts-mobe-massive-internet-business-coaching-scheme This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Consumer Alert: “Pass it On” at the holidays

"Pass it On" at the holidays by Lisa Weintraub Schifferle Attorney, FTC, Division of Consumer & Business Education Holidays often mean time with family and friends. If you're looking for conversation starters that avoid tricky topics – like who should've won the World Series – why not chat about scams? Pass it On, an FTC education campaign, gives you new ways to talk about scams and how to prevent them. Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/11/pass-it-holidays?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0030-pass-it

https://youtu.be/T7SiEQWzbAU

FTC Scam Alert: No prizes from the FTC

No prizes from the FTC by Todd Kossow Director, Midwest Region Recently, someone showed up at the door of the FTC to ask about his prize. He had a mailing saying he'd won $5 million – and the FTC had "certified and verified" it. The letter told him to act immediately to get the money. Otherwise, his millions would be given to somebody else. He'd talked with the so-called officials, who wanted him to pay $500 in fees to claim his (ahem) prize. Read more: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/06/no-prizes-ftc?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Alert: Promoter pitches “secrets” to big bucks on Amazon

Promoter pitches "secrets" to big bucks on Amazon by Lesley Fair Senior Attorney, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC Online ads and in-person workshops for Sellers Playbook claim to offer "secrets" to making big money on Amazon. But like a lot of namedroppers, the truth doesn't live up to the hype. That's what the FTC and the Minnesota Attorney General allege in a lawsuit they filed. Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/08/promoter-pitches-secrets-big-bucks-amazon?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Consumer Alert: Immigration help – watch your step

Immigration help – watch your step by Lisa Weintraub Schifferle Attorney, FTC, Division of Consumer & Business Education If you're looking for immigration help, you might run across what look like government websites – but are actually from companies pretending to be part of the U.S. government. The FTC's recent settlement  has some lessons on how to protect yourself.  Read more  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/10/immigration-help-watch-your-step?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Alert: Utility company calling? Don’t fall for it.

Utility company calling? Don't fall for it. by Jim Kreidler, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC Every day, millions of people who have lost their jobs are making difficult choices about how to pay their bills. As the Coronavirus continues to spread, scammers are taking advantage of people's heightened economic anxiety.  Their latest ploy is posing as representatives from utility companies to dupe people out of their cash and personal information by convincing them their utilities will be shut off if they don't pay. Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/07/utility-company-calling-dont-fall-it?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Consumer Alert: New tools to fight gift card scams

New tools to fight gift card scams by Cristina Miranda Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC This holiday season (and year-round), gift cards are on scammers' wish lists. Scammers always have a reason for you to pay them immediately with a gift card. And they often tell you which card to buy and which store to visit. That's why the FTC is launching a new Stop Gift Card Scams campaign to work with stores and law enforcement to fight these scams. And it's also why the FTC has taken another look at reporting data to see what's happening lately. Read more >  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/12/new-tools-fight-gift-card-scams?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Consumer Alert: Unwanted calls: Just block ’em and report ’em

Unwanted calls: Just block 'em and report 'em by Jim Kreidler Consumer Education Specialist, FTC 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 yourself, and for your friends and family. Read more >  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2021/05/unwanted-calls-just-block-em-and-report-em

FTS Consumer Alert: Unwanted calls: Just block ’em and report ’em

 

FTC Consumer Alert: Outlet shopping - The deal is in the details

Outlet shopping: The deal is in the details by Colleen Tressler, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC For many of us, it just wouldn't be a summer beach vacation without shopping at the local outlet mall. Over the years, we've picked up a few tips for outlet shopping. Read more  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/07/outlet-shopping-deal-details?utm_source=govdelivery   This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Consumer Alert: Car wrap scam targets college students

Car wrap scam targets college students by Ari Lazarus, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC If you have a car, you know how expensive the upkeep can be. Gas, maintenance, parking – the whole lot. So what if a company offered to pay you to drive around – which you were already doing – with their branding wrapped onto your car? It could sound like a good deal. Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/12/car-wrap-scam-targets-college-students?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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