Financial Fridays: FTC

About the FTC

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, works to stop unfair, deceptive or fraudulent practices in the marketplace. We conduct investigations, sue companies and people that break the law, and alert people and businesses about the scams we’re seeing, as well as educate them about their rights and responsibilities.

What We Offer

We manage multiple websites with downloadable information for consumers, including:

• consumer.ftc.gov – here you’ll find hundreds of articles, blog posts, and videos on a wide range of issues. You can also sign up to receive our blog posts by email.
• consumer.gov – gives you plain and simple information about credit, debt, identity theft, and avoiding scams, as well as budgeting, opening a bank account, shopping for prepaid cards, and managing your money.
• ftc.gov/coronavirus/scams – has advice on how to avoid COVID-19 scams, a library of timely blog posts and alerts, social media shareables, infographics, and links to other government resources.
• Pass It On – has materials and videos for active older adults. Pass It On is a research-based campaign to share information about fraud and encourage people to share the information.
• MilitaryConsumer.gov – helps servicemembers, veterans and their families find resources on avoiding fraud and making better-informed decisions when managing money. This site is part of the Military Consumer campaign with the U.S. Department of Defense, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Military Saves.
• IdentityTheft.gov – is where you can report identity theft, create a user account, and get a detailed, customized recovery plan. Hundreds of thousands of identity theft victims have created personalized recovery plans using this innovative, award-winning website.

See what the FTC has in the Jump$tart Clearinghouse!

What’s New

• Serving Communities of Color: The newly-released Serving Communities of Color Report summarizes the past five years of the FTC’s efforts to address, understand, and educate people about consumer issues that have a disproportionately negative impact on communities of color. And, it confirms the our commitment to continue this important work.

• Law enforcement: The FTC filed more than 25 actions involving alleged conduct that either targeted or disproportionately impacted communities of color. Cases challenged unlawful practices by auto sellers, for-profit schools, money-making opportunities, student debt relief schemes, and more.

•  Research: FTC research shows that people in communities of color experience fraud and consumer problems in unique ways. For example:
  • Top fraud and consumer issues reported. The FTC’s reporting data showed that the top percentage of the reports by people living in majority White and majority Latino communities were about impersonator scams. But in majority Black communities, the top percentage of the reports related to problems with credit bureaus.
  • Latino community experiences. The FTC’s reporting data also showed that people living in majority Latino communities filed higher percentages of reports than majority White communities about credit bureaus, banks and lenders, debt collection, auto issues, and business opportunities.
  • Black community experiences. An analysis of 23 FTC cases showed that the cases affecting the largest number of people in predominantly Black communities involved payday loan applications, student debt relief programs, and money-making schemes.
  • How scammers make people pay. Reports from majority Black and Latino communities show that people are more likely to pay scammers in ways that have few, if any, fraud protections ― cash, cryptocurrency, money orders, and debit cards. In contrast, reports from majority White communities show that people are more likely to paying scammers with credit cards.

Connect With FTC

• Get FTC alerts: ftc.gov/consumeralerts | ftc.gov/businessalerts
• Learn more about frauds and scams.
• Order free materials in English and Spanish here.

Tweet this: 
Has someone opened a credit card or another account in your name? You might be a victim of #IdentityTheft. Report identity theft and get a personalized recovery plan at http://identitytheft.gov

Contact: 
Colleen Tressler
ctressler@ftc.gov

Connect With Jump$tart

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• Money Fit Podcast With Todd Christensen Features Day to Day Money Management Tips

Coalition Corner

Did you know that we feature all of our newsletters on our website? Will you share this newsletter link to your social media and spread the news about financial literacy?

Visit the Jump$tart Clearinghouse for a comprehensive list of resources! If you review a resource, you will be entered into raffle and eligible to win a $100 Visa gift card!