During National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission shared the latest tactics scammers are using and how to avoid them.

Fraud is not static. Scammers adapt quickly, and each year brings new patterns that can catch even careful consumers off guard. In early March 2026, the FTC held a webinar as part of National Consumer Protection Week to highlight the most current trends in consumer fraud. The session, covered by ACA International, offered a look at what law enforcement and consumer advocates are seeing on the front lines.

Here is a breakdown of the main takeaways and what you can do to protect yourself.

What the FTC Webinar Covered

The webinar focused on several major scam categories that have been rising in frequency and sophistication:

  • Impersonation scams – Fraudsters continue to pose as government agencies, tech support, utilities, or even family members in distress. They often use spoofed phone numbers or fake caller IDs to appear legitimate.
  • Investment and cryptocurrency scams – Scammers are luring victims with promises of high returns, often through social media or dating apps. Once money is sent to a cryptocurrency wallet, it is nearly impossible to recover.
  • AI-powered fraud – The FTC noted a growing use of artificial intelligence tools to create convincing fake voices, images, and messages. For example, scammers can clone a relative’s voice using a short audio clip and then call demanding urgent payment.
  • Military family targeting – A related webinar highlighted specific scams aimed at service members and their families, including fake debt collection calls and fraudulent offers for military discounts.

According to ACA International’s report, the FTC stressed that many of these scams rely on creating a sense of urgency or fear, pushing victims to act before they can verify the story.

Why It Matters Now

These trends matter because the tactics are becoming harder to spot. A few years ago, a suspicious email with poor grammar was easy to dismiss. Today, AI-generated messages can be nearly indistinguishable from real correspondence. Voice cloning adds another layer of difficulty, especially for older adults who may not be aware the technology exists.

Moreover, scammers are moving faster than many consumer protections. Cryptocurrency transactions, for instance, are irreversible and often cross borders, making recovery rare. The FTC’s data shows that median losses in investment scams have climbed significantly, and the number of people reporting AI-related fraud is increasing each quarter.

The targeting of military families is also concerning because service members often face unique pressures—frequent moves, deployments, and a culture of trust within the chain of command—that scammers exploit.

What You Can Do Right Now

The FTC webinar offered concrete advice that anyone can apply:

  1. Hang up and verify. If someone calls claiming to be from the IRS, a bank, or a family member in trouble, hang up. Call the official number you have on file. Do not use the number the caller gives you.

  2. Never pay with gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. These are the preferred methods for scammers because they are hard to trace and almost impossible to reverse. Legitimate businesses and government agencies will never demand payment this way.

  3. Use strong, unique passwords and enable multifactor authentication. Many scams start with a compromised account. A password manager can help you avoid reusing credentials.

  4. Be skeptical of unsolicited messages. Whether it’s an email, a text, or a social media DM, think twice before clicking a link or downloading an attachment. If the offer sounds too good to be true, it almost always is.

  5. Report scams to the FTC. Your report helps law enforcement track new patterns and warn others. Go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov to file a complaint.

The FTC also recommends that consumers stay informed by signing up for consumer alerts at ftc.gov/subscribe and by checking scam alerts regularly for the latest warnings.

Where to Learn More

The information in this article comes from ACA International’s coverage of the FTC’s National Consumer Protection Week webinars. You can read their full reports here:

Staying aware of new scam trends is one of the most effective defenses. The tactics will keep evolving, but the basic rule remains: slow down, verify, and never let urgency override your judgment.