Auto dealers to pay for violating FTC orders
By Colleen Tressler, Consumer Education Specialist Federal Trade Commission Some businesses seem to have short memories. Case in point: In 2012, Billion Auto, a chain of family-owned auto...
View ArticleIs BabyBus app tracking your child?
By Lisa Weintraub Schifferle Attorney, Federal Trade Commission Your young child is playing an educational app with cute cartoon characters. It’s teaching her letters, shapes, and numbers. But did you...
View ArticleResolving to lose weight? Many products promising weight loss are bogus
By Cristina Miranda Consumer Education Specialist, Federal Trade Commission Holiday parties went straight to your hips? Looking to jump-start your New Year’s weight loss? Before reaching for any pill,...
View ArticleRefunds available for TracFone Wireless customers who didn’t get what they...
By Nicole Vincent Fleming, Consumer Education Specialist Federal Trade Commission Unlimited talk, text, and data for $45 per month with no contract? That sounds like a great deal, but according to a...
View ArticlePayday loan debt? Don’t fall for promises that will increase your debt even more
By Lisa Lake, Consumer Education Specialist, Federal Trade Commission Many people who take out payday loans have trouble paying them off quickly. A recent Federal Trade Commission case shows how...
View ArticleState, feds file charges against four cancer charities, saying they kept most...
State and federal agencies joined Tuesday in filing a lawsuit a charging four fake cancer charities and their operators with bilking consumers out of about $187 million. Of that, only $5 million, or...
View ArticleDoes ‘brain training’ really work?
I’ve wanted to write about the computer games companies are selling that claim to improve people’s brain functions. However, I haven’t been able to find any research about it that I thought would be...
View ArticleState consumers overconfident in their ability to identify scammers, survey...
An “Unmasking the Imposters” campaign is being launched to help Washington consumers avoid imposter scams. Nearly 250 consumers are attending a launch event on today at South Seattle College. The...
View ArticleAs Valentine’s Day approaches, beware of relationship scams
Nearly 40 percent of Washington residents reported that they, a family member, or a friend have encountered attempted financial scams while seeking friendship or a love interest online, according to an...
View ArticleMany consumers unable to spot the latest fraudulent robocalls as scammers...
Robocalls coming into Washington state have more than doubled in recent years to more than 560 million calls a year, with estimates that up to half of these calls may be attempts to defraud consumers....
View ArticleWhat you need to know about getting money from the Equifax data breach...
Although dozens of people have said on Facebook that you can easily get the $125 from the Equifax data breach settlement, the answer is no, you can’t. When you go to the Equifax Data Breach Settlement...
View ArticleHow to correct mistakes in your credit bureau reports
What do you do if you see mistakes in your credit bureau reports? Contact the credit bureau and the company that provided the information, and ask both to correct their records, advises Lisa Weintraub...
View ArticleSuccess By Health is a pyramid scheme, FTC says
Beware of illegal pyramid schemes that describe themselves as legitimate multi-level marketing businesses and promise life-changing income, but take your money instead. The Federal Trade Commission’s...
View ArticleWatch out for training programs with deceptive financing
If you’re considering paying for a training program to learn how to invest in real estate or start an online business, be careful. These programs can cost a lot of money and some make false promises...
View ArticleRental car scams on the rise
You’ve probably heard that it’s tough to rent a car these days. So, if you suddenly find an available car at a cheap price, you might be dealing with scammers looking make money on the rental car...
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