What to Do When Scammers Come Knocking: Lessons from Consumer Protection Week

Every year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) spearheads National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), a campaign dedicated to arming people with the knowledge they need to fight fraud. As we look ahead to NCPW in March 2026, the core message remains urgent: scams are constantly evolving, but a few key principles can help you stay safe.

The data is clear. The FTC receives millions of fraud reports annually, with losses tallying in the billions. The most common and costly schemes often involve a simple but effective trick: impersonation. Scammers pretend to be someone you trust—a government agent, a tech support expert, a family member in distress, or a familiar company—to trick you into sending money or handing over personal information.

The Scams You’re Most Likely to Face

While new scams pop up regularly, several persistent types account for the majority of reports. Understanding their hallmarks is your first line of defense.

  • Impersonation Scams: This is the broad category where fraudsters pose as a legitimate entity. This includes calls, texts, or emails pretending to be from the Social Security Administration, the IRS, or a utility company, often claiming you owe money or your account is compromised. A prevalent version is the “grandparent scam,” where a caller pretends to be a relative in urgent need of cash.
  • Phishing and Smishing: These are attempts to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security number. “Phishing” usually comes via email, while “smishing” uses text messages (SMS). They create a sense of urgency—“Your account will be closed!"—and include a link to a fake website that looks real.
  • Online Shopping Scams: These occur when you order from a fake website or a fraudulent seller on a legitimate platform. You might pay for an item that never arrives, or receive a cheap counterfeit instead of what you ordered.
  • Fake Prize & Sweepstakes Scams: You’re told you’ve won a lottery or prize but must pay fees or taxes upfront to claim it. A real prize never requires you to pay to receive it.

Practical Steps to Protect Yourself

You don’t need to be a cybersecurity expert to significantly reduce your risk. Integrate these habits into your daily routine.

  1. Pause and Verify. Scammers rely on urgency and pressure. If someone calls, texts, or emails demanding immediate action or payment, slow down. Hang up or ignore the message. If they claim to be from a company or agency you know, find the official contact information yourself (from a bill, statement, or their official .gov/.com website) and call them directly to verify the story.
  2. Guard Your Personal Numbers. Treat your Social Security number and account numbers like the keys to your house. No legitimate company or government agency will call, email, or text to ask for them out of the blue.
  3. How You Pay Matters. If someone demands payment by gift card, wire transfer (like Western Union or MoneyGram), cryptocurrency, or a payment app for a person-to-person transfer, it’s almost certainly a scam. These payments are nearly impossible to reverse.
  4. Check Before You Click. Don’t click on links or open attachments in unexpected messages. Instead, go directly to the company’s website by typing the address yourself or using a trusted app.
  5. Make Privacy a Habit. Use strong, unique passwords for different accounts and enable two-factor authentication wherever possible. This adds a critical second step for verifying your identity.

What to Do If You Spot or Fall for a Scam

Your actions after encountering a scam are crucial, both for your own recovery and to protect others.

Report it. File a report with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. This is perhaps the most important step you can take. Your report goes into a secure database used by more than 3,000 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. It helps investigators spot trends, build cases, and issue consumer alerts about emerging schemes.

Act quickly on financial recovery. If you sent money or shared banking information, contact your bank, credit card company, or the wire transfer service immediately. Explain it was a fraudulent transaction. There may be a short window to stop a payment or dispute a charge.

Secure your identity. If you shared personal information like your Social Security number, visit IdentityTheft.gov. This FTC-run site provides a personalized recovery plan, walking you through the steps to place fraud alerts, freeze your credit, and repair the damage.

Where to Find Ongoing Help

Consumer protection isn’t a one-week event. Bookmark these official, free resources from the FTC:

  • The Consumer Advice Site (ftc.gov/consumer-advice): Your go-to for the latest alerts and in-depth articles on hundreds of scam topics.
  • Consumer Alerts Blog: Subscribe for email updates on new scams as they emerge.
  • ReportFraud.ftc.gov: The official reporting pathway. Use it early and often.

National Consumer Protection Week serves as an annual reminder that vigilance is a habit worth building. By learning to recognize the red flags, knowing how to respond, and making use of the free tools provided by the FTC, you can confidently navigate the marketplace and shut the door on scammers.

Sources & Further Reading:

  • Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice: ftc.gov/consumer-advice
  • FTC Data Book 2023-2024
  • Report fraud to the FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov
  • Recover from identity theft: IdentityTheft.gov