Many of the ads you see online are created by marketers who are paid each time you click on their ad. And if that click takes you to a website where you sign up to try a product or you make a purchase, the marketer may get paid even more. These are affiliate marketers. Affiliate marketing is a good way to promote a product or service as long as the ad is truthful.

Check out the infographic we created to explain this.

Sharing what you know with your community can help others make sound financial decisions, avoid scams, and recover from identity theft. To help you spread the word, the FTC has created nearly 200 free publications on a variety of topics and in multiple languages. Order now — it’s free!

Ring, ring. "This is Equifax calling to verify your account information." Stop. Don’t tell them anything. They’re not from Equifax. It’s a scam. Equifax will not call you out of the blue.

Hurricanes Harvey and Irma are wreaking devastation from Texas to Florida to Puerto Rico, and beyond. Generous people across the country are doing what they can to help their neighbors in need. If you’re thinking about donating money to a charity, here’s how to make sure your dollars go to the causes you support.