Consumer Protection

1 in 3 Americans Hit by Online Shopping Scams: How to Protect Yourself This Year If you buy things online—and most of us do—the odds that you or someone you know has been caught by a shopping scam are now uncomfortably high. A new report from the Pew Research Center, based on a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults, found that roughly one in three Americans say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That figure, published in November 2025, gives a stark picture of how widespread these schemes have become. ...

How AI Tools Are Eating Away Your Privacy (And What You Can Do About It) If you’ve used a chatbot to draft an email, asked a voice assistant for the weather, or let a streaming service recommend your next show, you’ve interacted with artificial intelligence. What’s less visible is the data these tools collect about you—your words, your habits, your location, even your tone of voice. A recent post by Heather Parry on Substack, titled “AI’s erosion of privacy,” highlights how this data collection is expanding faster than most users realise. ...

NCPW 2026: Essential Consumer Protection Tips from the FTC National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) 2026 has come and gone, but the advice the Federal Trade Commission published during that week remains as useful as the day it came out. Scams evolve fast, but the basic patterns of fraud — someone pretending to be someone they’re not, pressuring you to act quickly, asking for money or personal information — stay the same. This article pulls together the most practical, actionable guidance from the FTC’s NCPW 2026 campaign so you can recognize common scams, protect your identity, and know exactly what to do if something goes wrong. ...

Top Scam Trends the FTC Wants You to Know About Right Now Every year during National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission shares its latest findings on what frauds are costing Americans the most money and which tactics are spreading fastest. This year’s webinar, held in early March 2026, highlighted several scam types that continue to evolve and grow. Here is a practical summary of the trends that matter most to consumers, along with steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim. ...

Don’t Let Scammers Win: Essential Tips from the FTC’s Consumer Protection Week 2026 National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) 2026 wrapped up in early March, but the advice the Federal Trade Commission shared during that week is worth keeping at hand all year. Whether you missed the live webinars or just want a clear summary of the most practical steps, here’s what you need to know to spot scams, protect your identity, and know what to do if something goes wrong. ...

How to Spot and Avoid Gift Card Scams: A Consumer Alert Gift cards are convenient gifts, but they have also become a favorite tool for scammers. In December 2025, Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued an alert warning District residents about a surge in gift card scams targeting consumers across Washington, D.C. His office joined a growing chorus of law enforcement agencies urging people to recognize the warning signs before they lose money. ...

Top Consumer Protection Tips from the FTC’s 2026 National Consumer Protection Week Every year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) dedicates the first full week of March to helping people avoid scams, protect their personal information, and know their rights as consumers. National Consumer Protection Week 2026 ran from March 1 to 7, and the FTC published a series of practical articles aimed at everyday consumers. If you missed the campaign or just want a quick recap, here are the most actionable takeaways from this year’s advice. ...

Your Guide to Avoiding Scams: Lessons from National Consumer Protection Week 2026 Every year in early March, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) runs National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) to remind people how to spot fraud and safeguard their money and identity. This year was no different. But the advice the FTC publishes during that week is not meant to be forgotten once the campaign wraps up. Scams evolve, but the patterns that make them work stay the same. If you missed NCPW 2026 — or just want a refresher you can come back to all year — this guide covers the scams that were hitting hardest in 2026 and the steps you can take right now to protect yourself. ...

Gift Card Scams: How to Spot Them and What to Do If You’ve Been Targeted Introduction In mid-December 2025, District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued a consumer alert warning residents about a surge in gift card scams. The alert underscores a simple but critical fact: no legitimate business, government agency, or utility company will ever demand payment in the form of gift cards. Yet these scams continue to cost Americans hundreds of millions of dollars each year, with older adults frequently among the hardest hit. Understanding how they work—and knowing exactly what to do if you or someone you know is targeted—can prevent financial harm. ...

FTC Webinar Reveals Top Scam Trends: What Consumers Need to Know Every year, the Federal Trade Commission hosts a series of webinars during National Consumer Protection Week to share the latest data on fraud and provide practical advice. In March 2026, the FTC presented its most recent scam trends, offering a snapshot of what consumers are facing and how to stay safe. A separate webinar specifically addressed financial scams targeting military members and veterans. Here’s a breakdown of what was covered and what it means for your everyday decisions. ...