Scam Prevention

National Consumer Protection Week 2026: Your Guide to the FTC’s Free Resources Every March, the Federal Trade Commission spearheads National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), a coordinated campaign to help people understand their consumer rights and spot modern scams. For 2026, the FTC has begun its outreach, encouraging consumers to “get ready” and “start planning” to participate. While the full schedule of events and specific 2026 materials are still forthcoming, the agency’s consistent yearly focus provides a reliable blueprint for what to expect and how you can benefit. ...

The “Pig Butchering” Scam: How Fraudsters Fatten Victims Before the Slaughter You receive a friendly, unexpected message. It might be on a dating app, social media, or even via a seemingly wrong-number text. The person on the other end is charming, builds rapport over weeks, and eventually shares a secret: they’ve made incredible profits through an online investment platform. They offer to help you do the same. This is the opening act of a “pig butchering” scam—a ruthless long-con where victims are emotionally “fattened up” with trust before their finances are slaughtered. ...

How to Recognize and Resist Phishing Scams You’ve probably heard the term “phishing” before. It’s that sneaky feeling when an email from your “bank” asks you to click a link to verify your account, or when a text message about a missed package delivery seems just a bit off. At its core, phishing is a type of online scam where criminals pretend to be a trusted person or organization to trick you into giving up sensitive information—like passwords, credit card numbers, or Social Security details—or into installing malicious software on your device. ...

What You Can Learn from the FTC’s Latest Scam Report Consumer fraud is a constant, but the tactics change. Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a webinar during National Consumer Protection Week to highlight the current landscape. While their full findings offer detailed insights, we can break down the key trends and, more importantly, what they mean for your daily safety. ...

A Practical Guide from the FTC’s 2026 Consumer Protection Week National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) is more than just a calendar note from the Federal Trade Commission. It’s a concentrated effort to arm everyday people with the knowledge to fight back against the scams and frauds that are increasingly common in our digital lives. For 2026, the FTC is continuing this mission, providing clear, actionable advice that moves beyond simple warnings. ...

That “Official” Government Call Demanding Payment? It’s Probably a Scam. An official-sounding phone call from a government agency can be intimidating. The caller knows your name, cites a case number, and insists you owe a fine or risk immediate arrest. This high-pressure tactic is the hallmark of a widespread and effective scam, and state officials are warning the public to stay vigilant. ...

Your Action Guide for National Consumer Protection Week 2026 National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) 2026 is here, running from March 1-7. Led by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), this week is a dedicated push to empower you with the knowledge to spot, avoid, and report scams. Each year, fraudsters refine their tactics, making consumer vigilance more critical than ever. This guide cuts through the noise with direct, actionable advice based on the FTC’s consumer resources, helping you secure your finances and personal information. ...

A Practical Guide to Navigating Today’s Scam Landscape It can feel like a new scam emerges daily. The phone rings with a familiar voice—perhaps even a family member’s—pleading for money, only to be a convincing AI clone. An urgent text about a package delivery or a bank alert appears, designed to trigger a panicked click. These aren’t hypotheticals; they’re today’s reality. With identity theft reports surging, particularly around high-stakes times like tax season, a basic understanding of digital threats is no longer optional—it’s essential self-defense. ...

The Scam That Almost Got Me: A Practical Guide to Modern Fraud It started with a text message. A simple alert about a suspicious charge on my credit card, with a link to “verify my account.” For a split second, my heart dropped. I’d just made a few online purchases. Was this real? Then I noticed the sender: a strange email address disguised as my bank’s name. I didn’t click. It was a phishing attempt, one of millions sent daily. But it felt chillingly personal. ...

How to Recognize, Prevent, and Respond to Modern Scams Scams are an unfortunate constant, but their methods are evolving faster than ever. Recent data highlights a sharp 50% increase in identity theft over the past two tax seasons. At the same time, fraudsters are now deploying sophisticated tools like AI-generated voices and deepfake videos. The combination of high-pressure tactics and new technology makes it crucial to update our defenses. This guide breaks down the psychology behind scams, identifies current threats, and provides a concrete plan for prevention and response. ...