Fraud Prevention

Gift Card Scams Are on the Rise: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Money Earlier this month, Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued an alert warning District of Columbia residents about a surge in gift card scams. The advisory, published by the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, outlines how scammers trick people into buying gift cards and handing over the codes—often draining the funds within minutes. While the alert is aimed at D.C. residents, the tactics described are used nationwide, and the advice applies wherever you live. ...

Pig Butchering Scams: What the New York Attorney General’s Warning Means for You If you’ve ever received an unprompted message from a stranger who seems too charming, too interested in your life, and too eager to discuss investment opportunities, you might be in the early stages of a “pig butchering” scam. The name is deliberately dehumanizing—the fraudster “fattening up” a victim with trust and affection before extracting as much money as possible. ...

Gift Card Scams Are Still Thriving: What the Latest Consumer Alert Means for You If you’ve ever been asked to buy a gift card to pay a bill, cover a debt, or secure a prize, you’ve likely encountered one of the most persistent frauds in modern consumer life. Gift card scams continue to drain bank accounts across the country, and authorities are still urging the public to stay alert. ...

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. ...

Gift Card Scams Are Everywhere: What the DC Attorney General’s Warning Means for You 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 is a timely reminder that this type of fraud remains widespread and can hit anyone who gets an unexpected call, text, or email demanding payment. ...

Gift Card Scams: How to Spot and Avoid Them — Advice from Consumer Alert Experts Gift cards make convenient presents, but they also make perfect cover for fraud. Scammers have long favored them because once the numbers on the back are shared, the money is nearly impossible to recover. Recent alerts from the District of Columbia’s Attorney General and other state consumer offices underscore that this threat is not going away. Whether you live in Washington, D.C., or anywhere else in the country, knowing how these scams work could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. ...

Investment Scams on Facebook and Instagram: What the Maryland Attorney General’s Warning Means for You If you use Facebook or Instagram, you have likely seen posts or messages promoting investment opportunities. Some promise quick returns, “guaranteed” profits, or secret strategies. In early April 2026, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown issued a consumer alert about a surge in investment scams on Meta platforms. The warning is not just for Maryland residents—scammers do not respect state lines, and the patterns they use are consistent across the country. ...

Gift Card Scams Are Everywhere: How to Spot and Stop Them Just before the holiday season, District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued an alert warning residents about a surge in gift card scams. The announcement, published on December 15, 2025, serves as a timely reminder for consumers everywhere: these scams are not limited to one jurisdiction. They happen year-round and spike whenever people are shopping or feeling generous. ...

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. ...

Gift Card Scams: How They Work and How to Avoid Them In December 2025, District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued an alert warning residents about a surge in gift card scams. The announcement is a useful reminder for consumers everywhere because this type of fraud rarely respects state lines. Gift card scams have become one of the most frequently reported fraud types to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and they tend to spike around the holidays when many people are buying and using gift cards anyway. ...