FTC

Dedicated scam detector apps are often disappointing and may collect personal data, so users should utilize general-purpose AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini instead. To fight modern scams, users should prompt the chatbot to analyze a message for red flags and explain the potential mechanics of the fraud, rather than just asking if it is safe. This approach helps build intuition and protects against sophisticated text and email scams.

A small business owner was defrauded by a marketing agency named Esclatech LLC after sending $3,200. They used misleading portfolios for a brand called Oppositiv to secure the payment, but subsequently missed deadlines and failed to provide promised refunds despite filed fraud cases with multiple agencies.

The FTC offers a free tool called Youville to help 8-12 year-olds develop online safety skills during summer and the school year. The tool is designed to assist parents in teaching children how to make good decisions while online.

A person fell for a scam after receiving a call from an impersonator claiming to be from U.S. Customs and Borders. The scammer tricked them into revealing their passport, face, and address during a video call, leading to concerns about identity theft. The victim froze financial accounts, enabled 2FA, reported the fraud to the FTC, and deleted the scam-related app.

The user received a scam call from someone impersonating Wells Fargo's fraud department, leading them to transfer $6,000 via CashApp to a Bancorp Bank-linked account. They now seek help recovering the funds and have reported the incident to Wells Fargo, Cash App, police, FBI, FTC, and CFPB.

The website pyrexhomeus.it is a fake Retail Pyrex site that appears alongside legitimate retailers like Target and Walmart in Google searches. It mimics the real Pyrex site but offers unrealistically low prices and attempts to auto-fill user email addresses for a Shopify-linked account, which the user does not have. The user reported the site to Google Safe Browser and the FTC.

The FTC accuses telehealth company Hims of sharing users' sensitive sexual wellness pill order information with advertising platforms like Meta and Snap, violating privacy assurances.

Hims & Hers shares fell 10% following a lawsuit by the FTC over alleged health data sharing with Meta and Snap, billing practices, and subscription cancellation issues.

Shein is disclosing an FTC investigation as it prepares for a Hong Kong IPO. The company warned that the investigation's outcome could require significant payments, potentially harming its financial condition.

A Senate Democrat introduces two bills to require labels on paid influencer political content and prohibit AI-generated political ads, responding to recent election campaigns in California involving significant ad spending and AI-generated videos.

A grandpa was scammed out of $3500 after a popup on his computer claimed his system was infected. He provided personal and financial information, purchased gift cards for Sephora and Lowes, and shared the numbers with the scammer. The family froze his bank account, credit, and two gift cards, and filed reports with police, FTC, and FBI.

A user encountered a scam on Facebook through an account called 'Gleci' (gleci.com), which advertised a book with misleading pricing and added unauthorized charges during checkout. After being charged $26 and later $42.95 without consent, the user reported the incident to Facebook and the FTC, noting the charges originated from 'TABBASHOP.COM' and emails from 'Slollo Shop', which are now unreachable.

For-profit schools have misled students with false promises about job outcomes and graduation rates, leading to significant debt and worthless degrees. Federal agencies like the FTC have warned about these institutions, while loan forgiveness programs remain fraught with legal and bureaucratic challenges.

For-profit schools are accused of misleading students with false promises about job prospects and education quality, leading to significant debt and unfulfilled career outcomes. Federal agencies have raised concerns about these institutions, and many students struggle with loan forgiveness processes despite schools failing to deliver on their commitments.

The article warns that unexpected requests for payments via bank transfer, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, payment apps, or gift cards are likely scams. The FTC reports such demands are red flags for fraudulent activity.

A father lost $20,000 to a Facebook Marketplace scam involving a fake car listing. He was redirected to a third-party site, wired money to scammers under the guise of purchasing a vehicle, and was subsequently blocked after no delivery occurred.

A user reported a phishing scam involving Rustictack.com, which redirected payments to getbestdeals.shop. The site falsely rejected credit cards and attempted unauthorized transactions, while hiding behind CloudFlare. The user filed a report with the FTC after their bank detected suspicious activity.

All Femme (allfemme.com) is accused of scamming customers by charging unauthorized recurring payments despite users selecting a one-time purchase. The company, described as a shell with no public ownership information, faces multiple complaints on Trustpilot. A user reported filing complaints with the FTC, BBB, and an attorney general's office.

Celsius co-founders Leon and Goldstein will pay the FTC over $6 million. The settlements add to Alex Mashinsky’s $10 million FTC settlement.

The FTC reports a scam where law firms send letters claiming individuals are heirs to unclaimed life insurance policies worth millions. The letters falsely suggest recipients can inherit money from a deceased person with the same last name, while the law firms seek to split the proceeds.

John Deere owners will gain the right to repair their own equipment under a new FTC settlement. The agreement allows owners to fix their machines without restrictions.

Federal lawyers are leaving the Trump administration and joining Democratic state attorneys general's offices, with over 100 identified as working on cases challenging the administration's agenda. Legal filings show these attorneys are involved in lawsuits opposing Trump's policies on transgender healthcare, research grants, and National Guard deployments.

A user on r/photomarket was scammed via Zelle after paying a seller who later blocked them. The user reported the scam to the FTC and their Chase Bank but received no assistance in recovering the funds. The scammer's Zelle information includes their name and phone number.

A 70s-year-old woman lost over $600,000 in a scam where impersonators posing as Microsoft and FTC agents convinced her to sell stocks, purchase gold, and hand over cash and gold to couriers. The scam involved fake identity theft claims, pressure to avoid informing family, and the use of a local gold dealer for transactions.

A customer warns against purchasing from 'The Yota Store' after not receiving their order and discovering others with similar complaints. The store failed to respond to email or Instagram messages, hid negative comments, and is accused of accepting payments without delivering products.

The FTC emphasizes discussing scams during Military Consumer Month 2026 to protect the military community from fraud targeting their money, benefits, and personal information. The initiative encourages servicemembers and veterans to share their scam experiences to raise awareness.

Amazon will pay $2.25 million to settle an FTC identity theft case. The retailer allegedly failed to meet requirements under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Job scammers are using SMS and messaging platforms to impersonate Amazon recruiters, offering fake high-paying remote roles with promises of $250–$500 daily for minimal work. The scams, often attributed to a 'Sophia' from Amazon’s recruiting department, direct victims to non-Amazon contact details and exploit 'task scam' tactics to extract money or personal data.

The Supreme Court ruled that presidents can fire independent regulators, allowing President Donald Trump to dismiss FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter. The decision overturns the precedent set by 'Humphrey’s Executor.'

Fired F.T.C. Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter warns of potential presidential abuse of power. She was accompanied by her lawyer at the Supreme Court in December.

A 2026 LinkedIn survey found 72% of job seekers sometimes question job postings' legitimacy before applying, citing rising job scams. The FTC reported $220M+ in losses from job scams in early 2024, prompting warnings to verify company details and avoid suspicious offers like 'free resume reviews' or 'too easy, high-pay' jobs.

The FTC approved Elon Musk's acquisition of Mesh, a startup composed of SpaceX alumni. Mesh emerged from stealth mode in February with a $50 million Series A funding round.

Americans lost a record $3.5 billion to imposter scams in 2025, according to FTC data. Imposter scams were the most reported fraud category for a fifth consecutive year, with losses nearly tripling since 2020.

A 37-year-old healthcare professional lost $12,000 to a law enforcement impersonation scam involving threats of arrest warrants and professional license revocation. The scammer used fear and isolation tactics, directing the victim to a Bitcoin ATM and Zelle for payments. The victim later filed reports with local police, FBI, FTC, and froze their credit.

Android is rolling out a new fake call detection feature to warn users about spoofed calls and AI-generated voices used in scams. The feature uses end-to-end encrypted RCS technology to verify if a call is genuinely coming from a trusted contact's device.

Scammers target retirees during a six-week summer window from Memorial Day to the Fourth of July, exploiting routines like booking trips, using public Wi-Fi, and posting vacation photos. Tactics include fake rental listings, grandparent scams, and holiday distractions, with the FTC reporting $274 million in consumer losses from travel-related fraud in 2024.

The FTC is considering modifying a $150 million privacy penalty against X (formerly Twitter). X argues the settlement terms are unfair because the company has changed significantly since the penalty was issued, the individuals responsible for the alleged misconduct no longer work there, and the company has implemented a robust privacy and data protection program.

US House Democrats are urging the FTC to investigate prediction markets for potential deceptive practices. They are also requesting information from the FTC regarding plans for investigative or enforcement actions against these markets.

Google is expanding its deepfake call detection feature to protect Android users from impersonation scams, which cost $3 billion in 2024. The update, part of broader Android 17 changes, now works with all contacts and counters AI voice cloning tools used in fraudulent calls.

Shutterstock will pay $35 million to settle allegations over illegal subscription cancellation practices. The settlement is related to hard-to-cancel subscriptions. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is involved in the case.