Consumer Protection

What the FTC’s Latest Scam Data Means for You Every year during National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission takes the opportunity to give the public a clearer picture of what fraud looks like right now. This year, a webinar hosted by the FTC and covered by ACA International laid out the scam trends that consumers should be paying attention to in 2026. If you’ve felt like the calls and messages are getting more convincing, you’re not wrong—the tactics are evolving. ...

NCPW 2026: What the FTC Wants You to Know About Scams and Fraud National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) 2026 wrapped up in early March, but the advice from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) remains as relevant as ever. Whether you missed the events or just want a refresher, here’s a clear look at the most important consumer protection tips from this year’s campaign. ...

Account Takeover Attacks Are on the Rise: How to Protect Your Online Accounts If you’ve noticed unusual login attempts on your email, banking, or social media accounts recently, you’re not alone. The New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection issued an alert on August 14, 2025, warning that account takeover incidents are becoming more frequent and more sophisticated. In an account takeover, a criminal gains unauthorized access to one of your online accounts—often through phishing, credential stuffing (using leaked passwords from other sites), or SIM swapping—and then uses it to steal money, open new lines of credit, or impersonate you to target your contacts. ...

Gift Card Scams: New Alert Highlights Warning Signs Everyone Should Know Earlier this month, Attorney General Brian Schwalb of Washington, D.C. issued an alert warning residents about a surge in gift card scams. While the alert was directed at D.C. consumers, the tactics described are used everywhere. Gift card fraud is one of the most common and costly scams in the United States today, and it shows no signs of slowing down. ...

Account Takeover Attacks Are Surging: How to Protect Your Online Accounts Now On August 14, 2025, the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection issued a consumer fraud alert warning of a sharp rise in account takeover incidents. These attacks, where a criminal gains access to one of your online accounts and locks you out, can lead to direct financial loss and long-term identity theft. The alert covers common attack methods and practical ways to prevent them. ...

How to Report a Scam: A Step-by-Step Guide (From AARP’s Fraud Experts) If a scammer calls, emails, or shows up at your door, your first instinct may be to just hang up and move on. That’s understandable. But reporting the scam is one of the most effective things you can do—not just for yourself, but for your neighbors and for law enforcement trying to stop these crimes. ...

How Extended Fraud Alerts Can Protect Your Finances—and Even Boost Your Credit If you’ve been a victim of identity theft, one of the first things you’re told is to place a fraud alert on your credit file. It’s a sensible step: it warns lenders to verify your identity before opening new accounts in your name. What’s less obvious is that this simple precaution may also have an unexpected side effect—improving your credit score. ...

What Are ‘Pig Butchering’ Scams? How to Spot and Avoid This Investment Fraud New York Attorney General Letitia James recently issued a consumer alert warning New Yorkers about a sophisticated type of fraud known as “pig butchering.” The term may sound strange, but the damage is very real: victims have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars—sometimes their entire savings—to these scams. If you use dating apps, social media, or even LinkedIn, it’s worth understanding how this scheme works and how to protect yourself. ...

FTC Webinar Scam Trends: What Consumers Should Know Each year during National Consumer Protection Week (the first full week of March), the Federal Trade Commission releases new data on the fraud landscape. This year’s webinar zeroed in on the scams consumers are most likely to encounter right now—and how to spot them before it’s too late. ...

What the FTC Wants You to Know About Today’s Top Scams Staying ahead of scammers can feel like a full-time job. Just as you learn to spot one trick, they invent a new one. That’s why the information shared during National Consumer Protection Week is so valuable. Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a webinar to spotlight the latest scam trends, providing a crucial update on what fraudsters are pushing now and how you can defend yourself. ...