Every year during National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) holds a webinar to update the public on the most pressing fraud threats. This year’s session, held in early March 2025, covered several trends that consumers should be aware of. Here is a concise breakdown of the key scams the FTC highlighted, along with practical steps to avoid them.

The FTC webinar, organized in partnership with other federal and state agencies, identified three major scam categories that are growing or evolving in 2025.

  • Imposter scams remain the most reported fraud type. These are calls or messages where someone pretends to be from a trusted organization – the Social Security Administration, a tech support company, or even a family member. Scammers create urgency, asking for payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. The FTC noted that government impersonation alone accounted for a significant share of losses.

  • Online shopping and investment scams are on the rise. Fake online stores and investment platforms are becoming harder to spot. Scammers use social media ads and lookalike websites to lure consumers into buying goods that never arrive, or into “investment opportunities” that turn out to be empty accounts. Cryptocurrency and “get rich quick” schemes are common vehicles.

  • Military families are a specific target. A separate part of the webinar focused on financial scams aimed at active-duty service members, veterans, and their families. Scammers often impersonate military relief organizations or claim to offer debt relief and loan modifications exclusive to military personnel. These schemes can be particularly damaging because they exploit trust in official military support networks.

Why It Matters

The FTC’s warnings are not abstract. According to the commission’s data, consumers lost billions of dollars to fraud in 2024, and the trends from this year’s webinar suggest that total losses may continue rising. Military families face an additional layer of risk: frequent moves, deployment stress, and reliance on benefits make them vulnerable to targeted scams that can drain savings or damage credit.

Without up-to-date awareness, even cautious individuals can be fooled. Scammers adapt quickly – they use AI-generated voices, fake caller IDs, and realistic-looking websites. Knowing the current tactics is the best defense.

What Readers Can Do: Practical Prevention

The FTC webinar offered clear, actionable advice. Here are the most important steps you can take right now:

  • Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all important accounts – email, banking, social media, and any platform with personal data. MFA blocks the vast majority of account takeover attempts.

  • Place a credit freeze at the three major bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). It’s free and prevents scammers from opening accounts in your name. You can temporarily lift it when you need new credit.

  • Verify any call, text, or email claiming to be from a government agency or company. Do not use the contact information the caller gives you. Look up the official number or website yourself. Legitimate organizations will not demand immediate payment by gift card or cryptocurrency.

  • Be skeptical of “military-specific” offers. If someone claims to be from a relief organization like the Red Cross or a military aid society, verify through official channels before sharing any financial information. The FTC recommends contacting your chain of command or a legitimate military financial counselor first.

  • Report scams promptly. File a report with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you are in the military or a family member, you can also report to the Department of Defense’s Military OneSource or the Federal Trade Commission’s Military Consumer line. Reporting helps law enforcement track patterns.

Where to Get More Information

The full webinar summary is available through the FTC’s website, and the ACA International article (which covered the event) provides additional detail on the scam trends. For ongoing alerts, you can subscribe to the FTC’s Consumer Alerts email list.

Sources:

  • FTC National Consumer Protection Week webinar (March 2025)
  • “FTC Webinar Highlights Latest Scam Trends During National Consumer Protection Week” – ACA International, March 2026 (updated from original coverage)
  • “FTC Webinar Highlights Responding to Military Financial Scams” – ACA International, March 2026