Latest Scam Trends From the FTC: What You Need to Know Now

National Consumer Protection Week came and went in early March, but the information shared during the Federal Trade Commission’s webinars remains relevant. Scammers don’t take breaks, and the tactics they use keep shifting. If you missed the FTC’s briefings, here’s a summary of the key scam trends they highlighted and what you can do to protect yourself.

What Happened

During National Consumer Protection Week (first week of March 2026), the FTC held a webinar covering the latest fraud patterns hitting consumers. A separate session focused specifically on financial scams targeting military members and their families. Both webinars were reported by ACA International, a trade association that monitors debt collection and consumer protection issues.

The FTC noted a few categories that have become increasingly common:

  • Imposter scams — fraudsters posing as government agencies (like the Social Security Administration or IRS), tech support, or well-known companies. They often pressure victims to pay immediately or share personal information.
  • Online shopping scams — fake websites, phony social media ads, and counterfeit goods. The uptick during the pandemic years hasn’t slowed.
  • Investment scams — particularly those involving cryptocurrency, where victims are lured by promises of quick, guaranteed returns.
  • Military financial scams — a distinct problem for active-duty personnel, veterans, and their families. These scams often involve fake debt relief offers, predatory lending, or fraudulent investment schemes masquerading as military-friendly programs.

Why It Matters

What makes these trends worrying is how adaptable scammers are. Imposter calls now use spoofed numbers that appear legitimate. Social media ads for “flash sales” can look exactly like a real retailer’s site. And investment scams often start with a seemingly harmless recruitment via messaging apps.

For military families, the stakes are even higher. Service members may have steady paychecks, frequent moves, and less time to scrutinize financial offers — all traits scammers see as opportunities. The FTC’s separate webinar stressed that military households report losing money to fraud at higher rates than the general population, according to the agency’s data.

What Readers Can Do

You don’t need to become a fraud expert to stay ahead of these schemes. Simple habits make a big difference.

1. Pause and verify. If someone calls claiming to be from a government agency or a company you do business with, hang up and call the official number you have on file. Do not use the number the caller gives you.

2. Avoid pressure tactics. Scammers create urgency — “your account will be closed,” “you’ll be arrested,” “this offer expires in ten minutes.” Legitimate organizations won’t demand immediate payment or threaten you.

3. Watch how they want to be paid. Gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, and payment apps like Venmo or Cash App are favorite methods for scammers because they’re hard to reverse. Be skeptical of anyone who insists on those methods.

4. Double-check online deals. If an online store offers prices that are too good to be true, search for reviews. Look for misspellings in the URL or poor grammar on the site. Use a credit card when shopping online — it offers more fraud protection than debit.

5. Report scams, even if you didn’t lose money. The FTC collects reports at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Your report helps them track trends and sometimes shut down operations.

6. Military-specific advice. The FTC’s military consumer website (ftc.gov/military) has resources on avoiding predatory lenders, understanding your rights under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, and spotting fake charity scams that target the military community.

Sources

  • FTC Webinar Highlights Latest Scam Trends During National Consumer Protection Week – ACA International (March 5, 2026)
  • FTC Webinar Highlights Responding to Military Financial Scams – ACA International (March 17, 2026)
  • Federal Trade Commission consumer protection resources at ftc.gov