Consumer Safety

FTC Warns of Rising Scam Tactics: How to Stay Protected The landscape of fraud is constantly shifting, with scammers refining their tactics to exploit new technologies and current events. To mark National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently hosted a webinar highlighting the latest trends in consumer scams. The session served as a critical reminder that vigilance is a year-round necessity, not just during awareness campaigns. While specific data from the webinar is still being disseminated, the overarching themes provide a clear picture of where threats are growing and how you can defend yourself. ...

How to Spot a Pig Butchering Scam Before It’s Too Late It starts with a friendly, unexpected message. Maybe on a dating app, a social media platform, or even via a “wrong number” text. The conversation feels genuine, builds slowly, and a sense of trust develops. But this carefully crafted connection has a singular, devastating goal: to fatten you up financially before the slaughter. This is a “Pig Butchering” scam, and authorities like the New York State Attorney General are urging the public to be on high alert. ...

What the Latest Scam Trends Mean for Your Wallet Scams are constantly evolving. Just as we learn to recognize one trick, criminals devise new ones, tailored to current events, new technologies, and our own habits. The goal is always the same: to trick us out of money or sensitive personal information. Staying ahead requires knowing what to look for. ...

When Scammers Strike, Why Reporting Is Your Best Defense It’s an unsettling reality: a new scam seems to pop up every week. You might get a threatening call from an “IRS agent,” a too-good-to-be-true travel offer, or an alarming message about a fake product recall. The instinct for many is to simply hang up, delete the email, and try to forget about it. After all, you didn’t fall for it. What’s the harm? ...

Spotting Parking Ticket Scams: A New Warning for Drivers If you receive a text or email demanding immediate payment for a parking ticket you don’t remember getting, pause before you click. Law enforcement officials are warning of a new wave of sophisticated parking violation scams designed to trick drivers into paying fines that don’t exist. ...

The New Scams in Your Inbox and How to Sidestep Them Keeping up with scam artists can feel like a full-time job. Just as we learn to spot one scheme, a new, more convincing one takes its place. Recently, during National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a webinar to shed light on the latest tactics fraudsters are using. The goal wasn’t to scare consumers, but to arm them with knowledge. The trends highlighted show a clear shift toward digital impersonation and exploiting current events to create a false sense of urgency. ...

What Scammers Are Doing Now—and How to Stay One Step Ahead Keeping up with the latest scams can feel like a full-time job. Just as you learn to spot one scheme, a new, more convincing one pops up. That’s why events like the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) recent webinar, held during National Consumer Protection Week, are so valuable. They pull back the curtain on what fraudsters are currently doing, giving you the knowledge to protect yourself. Based on insights from that session, here’s a look at the evolving scam landscape and practical ways to shield your money and information. ...

Don’t Just Get Mad, Report It: A Practical Guide to Stopping Scams When a scammer tries to trick you, the first wave of emotion is often anger, followed by embarrassment. You might want to just block the number, delete the email, and put the whole thing behind you. But there’s a critical step that many people skip: reporting the fraud. ...

Beyond Satisfaction: What the 2025 Banking Survey Really Means for Your Security A recent survey commissioned by the American Bankers Association (ABA) found something noteworthy: a strong majority of U.S. consumers report being satisfied with their bank’s efforts to prevent fraud. This data, collected by Morning Consult in the fall of 2025, indicates a significant level of trust in the financial industry’s security measures. While this is encouraging news, it’s not a reason for complacency. The fight against fraud is a partnership. Understanding what banks are doing—and what you must do alongside them—is the key to truly protecting your money and identity. ...

The New Scams to Watch For, According to the FTC’s Latest Update Staying ahead of scammers is a constant challenge. Just as we learn to recognize one scheme, another evolves to take its place. Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) provided a timely update on this shifting landscape. During a webinar for National Consumer Protection Week in March 2026, the agency highlighted the latest fraud trends exploiting current events and persistent human vulnerabilities. ...