FTC Consumer Blog

By BCP Staff Online safety starts with protecting your kids’ devices from hackers and scammers. Here are some steps to keep kids safer while they’re on a phone, tablet, or laptop. Consider taking these steps on your kids’ behalf and, as they get older, teaching them how to secure their devices and build good online habits. Read more >

By BCP Staff Does it feel like the holidays come around faster and faster every year? If you’re looking to save time by avoiding the crowds and doing some holiday shopping online, know that scammers camp out online all year long. So if you’re planning to shop online for holiday gifts, how can you avoid accidentally running into a scam? Read more >

By BCP Staff You get an unexpected call with some bad news: your name is linked to serious crimes, and your money is at risk, says the voice on the line. The next thing you know, he connects you with an “agent” who can supposedly help you resolve the issue. Your heart and mind are racing. But your gut is telling you to talk to someone you trust — or to get off the phone and search the internet for advice. So why would a helpful “agent” warn you not to talk to anyone or tell you to stay off the internet until he can fix the problem? Probably because that “agent” is really a scammer. Read more >

By BCP Staff Scammers tell lots of different stories to try to get your money or personal information. They want you to hurry and do what they say before you have time to think, check out their story, or reach out to someone who might intervene. That’s where the FTC’s new tool, How I’ll Avoid a Scam: My Action Plan, can help. Read more >

By BCP Staff You might have heard that, last week, Amazon agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle the FTC’s charges that it enrolled millions of people in Prime subscriptions without their consent – and then made it hard for those unwilling Prime subscribers to cancel. Since $1.5 billion of that amount goes back to consumers, you might be wondering: who gets it? How? And what do I need to do? Read more >

By BCP Staff Do you get a lot of calls trying to sell you products or services you never asked for? Sometimes telemarketing calls are random. Other times, companies trick you into sharing your information so they can sell it to the telemarketers that call you (without your permission). If you’re on the Do Not Call Registry, these calls are illegal. So, how can you cut down on the number of unwanted telemarketing calls you get? Read more >

By BCP Staff Every year, scammers get more active around Medicare Open Enrollment Period, trying to get your money, information, or both. As you consider your health coverage and prescription options during this period (October 15-December 7), learn to spot the scams. Read more >

By BCP Staff Summer is over and you could be thinking about selling your timeshare. Maybe you turn on the radio, check your feed, or get a call and find what sounds like an easy way to sell your timeshare. But is it? Or is it a scam? Read more >

By BCP Staff Would you donate to a cause if the fundraiser lied about how the money would be spent? Probably not. But that’s what the FTC says Kars-R-Us.com, Inc. (“Kars”) did when it collected vehicle donations on behalf of a supposed breast cancer charity. Read more >

By BCP Staff Every day, people you know are seeing phony business opportunities, work-at-home scams, shady employment agencies, and scammy multi-level marketing schemes. Job seekers don’t have the time or resources to waste on fake opportunities, but there are some ways to spot these scams. Watch this video as FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson explains. Read more >