Fraud Prevention

What National Consumer Protection Week Means for Your Digital Safety For one week every March, a spotlight shines on the scams, frauds, and privacy pitfalls that can trip up consumers. That’s the purpose of National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), an annual campaign led by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). With NCPW 2026 on the horizon, the event serves as a timely reminder to review your defenses and understand the threats that are actively targeting wallets and identities. It’s not just about awareness; it’s about equipping yourself with practical steps that work year-round. ...

How to Protect Yourself From the Latest Wave of Consumer Scams Last month, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a timely webinar as part of National Consumer Protection Week, shining a light on the scam tactics that are currently costing people the most money and causing the most stress. While scammers constantly update their playbooks, the FTC’s insights help cut through the noise and point to the specific threats you should be watching for right now. Understanding these trends is the first, most critical step in building an effective defense. ...

What the FTC Wants You to Know About Today’s Top Scams Keeping up with the tactics of scammers can feel like a full-time job. Just as you learn to spot one scheme, another evolves to take its place. Recently, as part of National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) hosted webinars to shed light on the most pressing fraud trends affecting consumers right now. The goal wasn’t just to warn but to equip people with practical knowledge. Here’s a breakdown of what they highlighted and the steps you can take to protect yourself. ...

That ‘Unpaid Parking Ticket’ Text Could Be a Scam If you’ve received a sudden, urgent message demanding payment for a parking violation you don’t remember, pause before you click. Authorities in North Carolina and beyond are warning drivers about a sophisticated new scam that uses the fear of an unexpected fine to steal money and personal information. ...

How to Recognize and Stop a “Pig Butchering” Scam Before You Lose Money You meet someone new online. The conversation starts casually, but they’re engaging, attentive, and seem genuinely interested in you. Over weeks or even months, a bond forms. Then, one day, they mention a fantastic investment opportunity—a way to build a future together. If this story sounds familiar, you might be facing one of the most insidious online frauds today: the “Pig Butchering” scam. ...

Don’t Get Hooked: A Simple Guide to Phishing Every day, millions of people open an email or a message that seems perfectly normal—only to find out later it was a trap. This digital deception has a name: phishing. It remains one of the most common and damaging online threats, not just for tech experts but for anyone with an email address or smartphone. ...

Don’t Get Hooked: The Latest Scam Tactics and How to Protect Yourself Every day, the tools and tactics scammers use get a little more sophisticated. During a recent National Consumer Protection Week webinar, officials from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) highlighted the evolving fraud landscape. While the specific details from that session are summarized in a members-only industry article, the underlying trends are clear and critical for every consumer to understand. ...

What Consumer Protection Week 2026 Means for Your Online Safety Every year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) spearheads National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), a dedicated campaign to arm the public with knowledge against fraud and scams. The recently announced theme for NCPW 2026 continues this mission, offering updated resources and warnings tailored to the current digital landscape. For anyone who banks online, shops on the internet, or simply has a digital footprint, this isn’t just a bureaucratic event—it’s a timely checklist for your personal security. ...

Scammers Are Getting More Sophisticated. Here’s What the FTC Says You Should Watch For. Every year, scams grow more convincing, more targeted, and more damaging. During a recent National Consumer Protection Week webinar, officials from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) highlighted the latest trends in fraud, painting a clear picture of how scammers are evolving their tactics. The goal wasn’t to scare consumers, but to arm them with the knowledge needed to fight back. This isn’t about paranoid suspicion; it’s about practical vigilance. ...

Don’t Get Slaughtered: How to Spot a “Pig Butchering” Scam You meet someone new online. The conversation starts casually—maybe on a social media platform, a dating app, or even via a seemingly wrong-number text. They’re friendly, engaging, and share details about their successful life. Over weeks or months, a bond forms. Then, they mention an incredible, can’t-miss investment opportunity. If this sequence sounds familiar, you could be the target of a “pig butchering” scam, a devastating fraud that has prompted official warnings, including a recent consumer alert from New York Attorney General Letitia James. ...