Identity Theft

National Consumer Protection Week 2026: Key Tips to Avoid Scams Each year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and its partners dedicate the first week of March to National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW). For 2026, NCPW ran from March 1 through March 7, serving as a focused reminder that scams and identity theft don’t take a holiday—and neither should your awareness. While the official week has passed, the advice issued by the FTC remains just as relevant today as it was during the campaign. ...

Top Consumer Protection Tips from the FTC’s National Consumer Protection Week 2026 Every year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) runs National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) to help Americans stay informed about scams, identity theft, and fraud. This year’s campaign, which ran in early March 2026, provided a fresh set of warnings and practical advice that remain relevant even after the official events ended. If you missed it, here’s a summary of the most important points and what you can do to protect yourself. ...

Three Emerging Scam Trends from the FTC’s National Consumer Protection Week Webinar Every March, the Federal Trade Commission uses National Consumer Protection Week to highlight the latest fraud tactics hitting consumers. This year’s webinar, held in early March 2026, focused on three scam trends that are growing quickly: AI-powered impersonation, fake delivery notifications, and QR code phishing. If you’ve received a suspicious call, text, or QR code lately, knowing how these scams work can help you avoid losing money or personal information. ...

NCPW 2026: What You Need to Know to Avoid Scams and Protect Your Wallet Intro Every year in early March, the Federal Trade Commission leads a nationwide campaign called National Consumer Protection Week. NCPW 2026 is no exception. It’s a week-long push to help consumers spot fraud, protect their personal information, and know what to do if they’ve been scammed. The official hub for all resources is ftc.gov/ncpw, where the FTC publishes free materials, tips, and event listings. ...

National Consumer Protection Week 2026: FTC’s Top Tips to Outsmart Scammers National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) 2026 wrapped up on March 6, but the advice the Federal Trade Commission shared during the campaign is worth holding onto all year. The FTC uses this annual event to spotlight the scams that are currently causing the most harm and to remind people of the practical steps they can take to protect themselves. Whether you followed along live or are just catching up, here are the key takeaways from this year’s campaign. ...

Here is the blog draft, written as a natural, practical article for general consumers. It avoids hype and SEO formulas, and integrates the required sections organically. Top Consumer Protection Tips from National Consumer Protection Week 2026 ...

Extended Fraud Alerts: What the Latest Federal Reserve Research Reveals About Identity Theft Recovery If you’ve ever been a victim of identity theft, you know how disorienting it is. That phone call from a lender asking about an application you never made. The unfamiliar accounts on your credit report. And then the scramble to freeze your credit, file a police report, and start repairing the damage. ...

New FTC Data Reveals Top Scams of the Year — How to Stay Safe Each year, National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) serves as a reminder to check our defenses against fraud. During the 2026 observance, the Federal Trade Commission held a webinar that outlined the latest scam trends, based on consumer reports filed with the agency. The patterns are worth knowing even if you think you’re unlikely to fall for them, because scammers constantly adjust their tactics. ...

How Extended Fraud Alerts Affect Your Credit Score: What the Fed’s New Research Reveals If you’ve been a victim of identity theft, you’ve probably heard about placing an extended fraud alert on your credit report. The standard advice has been: do it to stop criminals from opening new accounts in your name. But a recent study from the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank suggests there may be an unexpected upside—and it has to do with your credit score. ...

Fraud Victims May See Credit Scores Rise: What That Means for You If you’ve been the victim of identity theft, the conventional advice is to place a fraud alert on your credit file. That alert signals to lenders that they should take extra steps to verify your identity before opening new accounts. Most people assume that doing so will only make borrowing harder and could even ding their credit score. But recent research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia tells a more nuanced story. ...