NCPW 2026: What to Keep from the Campaign After the Week Is Over

National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) 2026 wrapped up in early March, but the advice the Federal Trade Commission promoted during that week is meant to last all year. If you missed the campaign or only caught parts of it, here’s a rundown of what was covered and—more importantly—what you can still do with that information today.

What Happened During NCPW 2026

NCPW is an annual initiative led by the FTC, usually timed around the first full week of March. In 2026, the agency released a suite of free materials—tip sheets, social media graphics, videos, and sample presentations—all designed to help consumers and community organizations talk about scams and identity theft. The FTC’s official page for welcome to ncpw 2026 - consumer advice | federal trade commission (.gov) remains live, and those resources are still available for download.

The campaign highlighted several scam types that were particularly active in the preceding year: imposter scams (people pretending to be government officials, tech support, or family members in distress), online shopping fraud (fake websites and phony ads), and tech support scams where callers claim your computer has a virus. Also featured were investment scams and job-offer scams, which often target people looking for remote work.

Why It Matters for You

Scams evolve, but the underlying tactics stay remarkably consistent. Even if you’re not the target of a specific scheme today, the patterns repeat. The FTC’s enforcement actions and public alerts are based on the more than two million reports the agency receives each year. That data drives not only prosecutions but also the educational content you see during NCPW.

The point is not to make you paranoid—it’s to make you prepared. Knowing what to look for before a scammer contacts you is far more effective than trying to react in the moment. The advice from NCPW 2026 is still relevant because the scams it addressed are likely to persist into 2027.

Red Flags That Haven’t Changed

During the campaign, the FTC stressed a few warning signs that appear in nearly every type of fraud:

  • Unsolicited contact: A call, email, or text from someone you didn’t reach out to—especially if they claim to be from a well-known company or agency.
  • Urgent language: Messages that push you to act immediately, threatening account closures, legal action, or missed opportunities.
  • Payment demands in unusual forms: Gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or payment apps requested by a stranger.
  • Requests for personal information: Legitimate organizations almost never ask for your Social Security number, bank account details, or passwords out of the blue.

If you see one of these in a message, stop and verify through an independent channel—don’t use the phone number or link provided in the message itself.

What You Can Do Right Now

  • Freeze your credit. This prevents someone from opening new accounts in your name, even if they have your Social Security number. You can freeze and unfreeze it for free at each of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). It takes about 15 minutes.
  • Use a password manager or at minimum create unique passwords for every important account. Enable two-factor authentication wherever it’s offered.
  • Review your bank and credit card statements monthly. Look for small test charges that scammers often use before making larger withdrawals.
  • Sign up for scam alerts from the FTC. You can subscribe to receive email notifications about new scams at ftc.gov/subscribe. It’s free and low-volume.
  • Talk to someone about scams. One of the simplest protections is to discuss common scams with older relatives or neighbors. Scammers rely on isolation and secrecy. Knowing that a certain request is a known fraud can stop someone from falling for it.

How to Report and Get Help

If you or someone you know has been targeted or victimized, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The complaints are used to track trends and build cases against fraudsters. If identity theft has already happened, go to IdentityTheft.gov for a personalized recovery plan. The site walks you through steps like placing fraud alerts, disputing fraudulent charges, and notifying credit bureaus.

Local authorities can also take reports, but the FTC centralizes data and often finds links between cases that a local police department might not see.

The Long View

National Consumer Protection Week 2026 may be over, but the habits it encourages are worth keeping. Scammers adapt, but so can consumers. With a few basic actions—freezing your credit, using strong passwords, and staying skeptical of unsolicited demands—you lower your risk considerably.

The FTC’s resources remain available year-round. You don’t need a special week to use them.

Sources: FTC NCPW 2026 landing page; FTC blog posts “Get ready for NCPW 2026” and “It’s time to start planning for NCPW 2026”; FTC Consumer Advice on imposter scams and identity theft.