Home security systems have been around for decades, but home automation has begun to be more commonplace with the introduction of smartphones. With the exception of a few companies, home automation features don’t come standard with most...

When we’re young, it’s easy to convince ourselves that saving is something we’ll get to “later.” In fact, data show that building a healthy savings is even less of a priority for those under 35. The median...

If you’re in a small business, you probably need a way for people to pay you – and ways to lower your costs. Scammers have been working both of those angles, promising businesses that they can save...

Hi Gary, My uncle is very upset because he doesn’t understand how his 401k works. He thinks they are trying to tell him what he can do with his retirement money and so forth. I don’t know...

Recently, someone showed up at the door of the FTC to ask about his prize. He had a mailing saying he’d won $5 million – and the FTC had “certified and verified” it. The letter told him...

An individual who managed a multimillion dollar fraudulent telemarketing scam was sentenced on June 25, 2018, to serve 63 months in prison by a federal judge in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Department of Justice announced. Michael Rossi,...

As part of a settlement with the Bureau and the Department of Justice, BancorpSouth Bank (BancorpSouth) agreed to provide redress to African-American consumers identified as harmed by its alleged discrimination in mortgage lending between 2011 and 2015....

Dear Dollar Stretcher, My husband and I do not currently have wills. How important is it to actually have everything legally documented? We have very little savings but we do have one child and want to be...

The operators of a scheme that sold “secrets for making money on Amazon” are banned from marketing and selling business opportunities and business coaching services under a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, and they will surrender...

The former chief financial officer of Bankrate Inc., a publicly traded financial services and marketing company formerly headquartered in North Palm Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty today for his role in orchestrating an accounting and securities fraud scheme...

A former CEO and a former corporate counsel of a Colorado financial services company were sentenced on June 19 and June 20, in Denver, Colorado, for their participation in a multimillion-dollar investment scheme in which they falsely...

Operators of a get-rich-quick scheme have agreed to a permanent ban on marketing or selling certain types of software as part of settlements with the Federal Trade Commission over allegations that the defendants deceived consumers by falsely...

Ever since I became an adult (on paper) and started paying my own bills, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with the concept of autopay. On the one hand, services that allow you to easily schedule on-going payments...

Do you have any advice for a young adult with a steady job who would like her savings to grow? I have paid for my college education without taking out student loans. I contribute to an RRSP...

v> Instead of min(d)ing their own business, are scammers using your computer as their virtual ATM? Three years ago, the FTC warned the public and took action against cryptojacking. That’s where scammers use your device’s processing power...

Would you be tempted by an online business training program that promises you could earn thousands of dollars a month working from home? I wouldn’t blame you if you were. But don’t believe the hype. Promises like...

Looking for stronger ways to protect your credit? Thanks to a new federal law, soon you can get free credit freezes and year-long fraud alerts. Here’s what to look forward to when the law takes effect on...

The operators of a Los Angeles-based student loan debt relief scam have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they falsely claimed to be affiliated with the Department of Education, charged consumers illegal upfront fees, and...

Planning a summer vacation? You may be looking for deals on cheap flights or discounts at hotels and resorts – but some promotions may come with strings attached, and others can be downright scams. Before you pack...

The Department of Justice announced the arrest of more than 2,300 suspected online child sex offenders during a three-month, nationwide, operation conducted by Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces. The task forces identified 195 offenders who...

The Federal Trade Commission is mailing 3,633 checks totaling more than $969,000 to people who lost money to a deceptive telemarketing scheme that promoted business coaching services to people who wanted to start internet businesses. In January...

Technology companies and owner knowingly facilitated neighbor-spoofed robocalls The Federal Trade Commission has filed a complaint in federal district court seeking to stop two related operations and their principals who allegedly facilitated billions of illegal robocalls to...

For Millennials like myself, the past few weeks have brought some bad news. The latest round of eye-opening stats started with a MarketWatch piece that declared that individuals should have twice their salary stashed away by the time...

Sick of getting robocalls and other unwanted calls? You can learn more about how to block them at ftc.gov/calls. You also might know that the FTC continues to go after the people and companies behind these calls....

A North Carolina debt collection operation, Lombardo, Daniels & Moss, and its principals, Dion Barron and Charles R. Montgomery III, will be banned from the debt collection business under settlements resolving Federal Trade Commission charges that they...

Each year, millions of young adults enter the workforce and take the first steps toward building their financial futures. Since 2014, the Bureau has worked to help job training programs prepare young adults for the key financial...

  The New York state comptroller’s office just released information about credit card debt in the United States. The four states with the highest populations had the most overall credit card debt in 2017. California, the most...

You get a card, call, or email telling you that you won! Maybe it’s a lottery, sweepstakes, or some other prize. The person calling is excited and can’t wait for you to get your winnings. But here’s...

Imagine your grandmother calling you and saying she thinks your grandfather who passed away two months ago is still alive. She explains that she keeps getting credit card bills in his name and wants to know if...

A common phrase in the world of charities is that there are many ways to give. Making an online donation is one way, and using an “online giving portal” is becoming a popular option. Check out our...

Hey computer users, it’s time for a pop quiz. A) You get an urgent call or email from a tech support company, saying your computer has a problem. Should you give the company remote access to your...

Saving for a house can be a daunting task, but is one of adulthood’s most exciting milestones. You’re settling down into a new home, but you’re also giving up a large sum of your money in the...

Have you gotten a robocall at work, telling you that you have to take action or your Google business listing will be removed? Or maybe even marked as permanently closed? That kind of thing could be tough...

It’s common for couples to share their financial lives but not the responsibility for managing household finances. It might be time-consuming for both of you to review your bills, as well as spending and savings plans each...

These days it seems like just about everyone is talking about the need for a side hustle. As a result, you may be pondering what extra earning opportunities are out there for you. Unfortunately, when looking for...

Dear Dollar Stretcher, We’re going to buy a newer car. We’ll need to borrow about $12,000 to pay for it. Our friends have suggested that the best way to finance it is by ‘borrowing’ from our 401k...

The settlements stem from an FTC-led enforcement sweep announced last year The defendants in two student loan debt relief cases have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission claims that they charged consumers illegal upfront fees and falsely...

Has someone asked you to go get a gift card to pay for something? Lots of people have told us they’ve been asked to pay with gift cards – by a caller claiming to be with the...

> In our latest Complaint Snapshot, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection examines complaint trends, with a focused look at complaints about debt collection.  Since July 2011, the Bureau has received approximately 400,500 debt collection complaints, which...

Did you know that checking your credit scores and credit reports is one of the first steps toward learning more about your credit history? You can request your credit reports for free every 12 months from each...

Craigslist is by far the easiest (and cheapest) way to sell all that junk cluttering your house. It’s as simple as posting a listing for the item(s) you are trying to sell, and then waiting for the...

Some of the fondest moments memories in my life are of helping my Dad around the house and listening to him explain why he did and didn’t do things. Although I didn’t know it at the time,...

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that maintaining your health was more important than saving money. While retaining insurance is one example of that, the same concept can often apply to the foods we buy and...

In the business world, “leads” refer to the information of potential customers. In the scam world, it means the same thing. While scammers find their targets in all kinds of ways, one method is to go...

Please don’t tell me that if I had $1,000 and invested it for 10 years at 10% interest I’d have a big pile of money. I don’t have $1,000 and paying next month’s bills is my biggest...

Dear Dollar Stretcher, I want to make a grocery budget but I am not sure what to include on that list. Do you include your household items such as light bulbs and laundry needs? Regular household needs...

The Federal Trade Commission has charged a Florida-based scheme with deceiving small business owners by falsely claiming to represent Google, falsely threatening businesses with removal from Google search results, and falsely promising first-place or first-page placement in...

Complete Estate Planning Guide In The Digital Age An important note: This Estate Planning article highlights many legal elements and is not meant to offer advice. See disclosure. It is important to talk with a lawyer when...

The FTC recently sued the companies and individuals responsible for the Amazing Wealth System — also known as Amazon Wealth Systems, FBA Stores, AWS, Insider Online Secrets, Online Auction Learning Center, and Online Seller — which ran...

Many people are still suffering the consequences of natural disasters. For example, in 2017 there was Hurricane María in Puerto Rico, Hurricane Harvey in Texas, Hurricane Irma in Florida, and the devastating wildfires in California. Even after...