FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

August 2018

If you spot a scam, report it at 

ftc.gov/complaint.

Your reports help 

the FTC and other 

law enforcement 

investigate scams 

and bring crooks 

to justice.

If you spot a scam...

Tell someone

Then tell the FTC

ftc.gov/complaint

1-877-FTC-HELP

(1-877-382-4357)
Spot imposters. 

Scammers often pretend 

to be someone you trust, like a 

government official, a family member, 

a charity, or a company you do 

business with. Don’t send money 

or give out personal information in 

response to an unexpected request 

– whether it comes as a text, a 

phone call or an email. 

Do online searches. 

Type a company or product 

name into your favorite search 

engine with words like “review,” 

“complaint” or “scam.” 

Or search for a phrase 

that describes your 

situation, like “IRS call.” 

You can even search 

for phone numbers to 

see if other people have 

reported them as scams.

Don’t believe your 

caller ID. Technology makes 

it easy for scammers to fake caller 

ID information, so the name and 

number you see aren’t always real. If 

someone calls asking for money or 

personal information, hang up. If you 

think the caller might be telling the 

truth, call back to a number you know 

is genuine. 

Don’t pay upfront for a promise. 

Someone might ask you to pay 

in advance for things like debt relief, 

credit and loan offers, mortgage 

assistance, or a job. They might 

even say you’ve won a prize, but 

first you have to pay taxes or fees. If 

you do, they will probably take the 

money and disappear. 

Learn where to get real 

help with these issues at 

consumer.ftc.gov. 

Consider how you pay. 

Credit cards have significant 

fraud protection built in, but some 

payment methods don’t. Wiring money 

through services like Western Union 

or MoneyGram is risky because it’s 

nearly impossible to get your money 

back. That’s also true for reloadable 

cards (like MoneyPak or Reloadit) 

and gift cards (like iTunes or Google 

Play). Government offices and honest 

companies won’t require you to use 

these payment methods.

Talk to someone. 

Before you give up your money 

or personal information, talk to 

someone you trust. Con artists want 

you to make decisions in a hurry. They 

might even threaten you. Slow down, 

check out the story, do an online 

search, consult an expert — or just tell 

a friend.

Hang up on robocalls. 

If you answer the phone and 

hear a recorded sales pitch, hang up 

and report it to the FTC. These calls 

are illegal, and often the products are 

bogus. Don’t press 1 to speak to a 

person or to be taken off the list. That 

could lead to more calls.

Be skeptical about free trial offers. 

Some companies use free trials to 

sign you up for products and bill you 

every month until you cancel. Before 

you agree to a free trial, research the 

company and read the cancellation 

policy. And always review your 

monthly statements for charges 

you don’t recognize.

Don’t deposit a check and wire 

money back.

By law, banks must make funds from 

deposited checks available within 

days, but uncovering a fake check 

can take weeks. If a check you 

deposit turns out to be a fake, you’re 

responsible for repaying the bank.

Sign up for free scam alerts 

from the FTC at ftc.gov/scams.

Get the latest tips and advice about 

scams sent right to your inbox.

 

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