Scam Alerts

Have you seen ads on social media that offer to “help” you sign up for a government program that will give you a “free” device and internet service in exchange for money or personal information? While there is a real government program to help people connect during the pandemic, there’s no payment required to enroll. That’s just a scam.

A popular saying in Spanish is “camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente.” It means “a sleeping shrimp will get swept away by the current.” Which turns out to be a great metaphor for avoiding scams: if you aren’t aware of those around you, you could fall for one.

Last week, we kicked off the celebration of Hispanic Heritage month with ideas about recognizing and avoiding scams. This week, it’s about what to do if you think you’ve paid a scammer. These steps might not apply to you, but there’s probably a family member, a friend, or someone in your community who could use them. So please help share these through your community.

Each year, Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the numerous contributions that Hispanic Americans and Latinos have made to our country. This year’s theme, Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope, encourages us to look forward to future contributions with optimism, hope, and a sense of community. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’ll focus on ways to come together to help spot, stop, and report frauds that target Latino communities. Today kicks off our month-long series with advice that we hope you’ll share with others on how to recognize and avoid scams.

Looking for love on LGBTQ+ dating apps? Scammers are at the ready too. We’re hearing about scams targeting people on LGBTQ+ dating apps, like Grindr and Feeld. And they aren’t your typical I-love-you, please-send-money romance scams. They’re extortion scams.

Did you get an email from your boss asking you for a favor? Does your boss need you to send gift cards to pay for an upcoming office party? Before you go out and pay up, ask yourself: is that really your boss? It could be a scammer trying to get your money.  

Whether you’re starting to assess the damage from Hurricane Ida, the recent flooding in Tennessee, the wildfires in the West, or another natural disaster, coping with the aftermath is never easy. But when scammers target people just trying to recover, it can be even worse. Here are ways to help you avoid common post-disaster scams.

Scammers are impersonating FTC Chair Lina M. Khan in a new phishing scheme. The email says the FTC wants to send you Coronavirus relief funds and tells you to send some personal information, like your name, address, and date of birth. The FTC is not distributing Coronavirus economic stimulus or relief money to people. The email is a scam. Don’t reply.

People are living longer than ever before. As we age, it’s common to develop new aches, ailments, and illnesses — and then we often go online to learn about products and treatments to help maintain and improve our health. But a word to the wise: there’s a lot of false and misleading information out there, including what some promoters are saying about stem cell therapy. The truth is, stem cell products have not been shown to be safe or effective for most ailments, and could actually be harmful.

Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a temporary order to stop evictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, this federal eviction moratorium has been extended several times, and on August 3, the CDC extended it again for counties where COVID cases are rapidly spreading. But renters in counties where the order does not apply now face the possibility of eviction if they still owe back rent. And on top of that, scammers can take advantage of the panic caused by this situation.

Have you gotten an alarming text message about your unemployment insurance benefits from what seems to be your state workforce agency? You’re not alone. Identity thieves are targeting millions of people nationwide with scam phishing texts aimed at stealing personal information, unemployment benefits, or both.

COVID opened the door for scammers to double down on their worst practices, while preying on consumers during an unprecedented global pandemic. That includes some bad actors who have been taking advantage of online shoppers in search of hard-to-find items like face masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE). Today, the Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint against one of those bad actors.

Family emergency scams try to scare people into sending money to help a loved one in trouble. The fraud can play out in many ways, but the hustle is the same: the caller lies, tries to scare you, and rushes you to pay so you don’t have time to think twice or check things out before you send money. And once you do that, you’ll never get it back.

The weather is getting warmer, and you might be itching to travel again. The mountains, the beach, and the trails are calling you — and everyone else. At least that’s what it feels like when you start looking into renting a car. With rental car availability at an all-time low, prices are sky high. So, if you suddenly find an available car at a cheap price, you might be dealing with scammers looking to cash in on the rental car shortage.

Summer is right around the corner. With things reopening, kids getting out of school, and days lasting longer, this summer promises, we hope, some much-needed relaxation, adventure, and a chance to reconnect with family and friends. Today, we’re kicking off our summer safety series to share some thoughts on ways to make your summer season as enjoyable and safe as possible.

Scammers often disguise themselves as people working for the government and might pretend to offer help. But, really, they’re after your money or personal information. For Pride Month, the FTC wants the LGBTQ+ community to know about government imposter scams and how to avoid them.

If you’re looking for a job, there are lots of things to think about, from wages and commute time to benefits and employee resources. And, if you identify as LGBTQ+, you might also look for whether a workplace is LGBTQ+ friendly. To make your job search safe and successful, learn how to spot and avoid job scams.

As part of the American Rescue Plan Act, eligible families will get monthly payments from the government from July 15 through December 2021. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will send these monthly payments directly to people through direct deposit, paper checks, or debit cards. Unlike economic impact payments, these payments are an advance on families’ child tax credit. People who are eligible will get up to half of their child tax credit in these monthly payments and the other half when they file their 2021 taxes.