Happy Valentine’s Day, you or your friends might be thinking about love. But not everyone is — some are just looking to get into your pockets. Read on so you can spot and report scammers before they trick someone you care about out of money. For more info, click here.
Have I told you lately that I love you — and how to avoid scams?
It’s almost Valentine’s Day. Maybe you’ve already sent a card to your grandmother, grandfather, or the older adult in your life. But if you haven’t told them lately that you love them, pick up the phone and call, too. While you’re catching up, remind them that you’ll never pressure them to wire you money or buy you gift cards — but a scammer might. For more info, click here.
Servicemembers: DFAS is not calling you about your pay
People are reporting a new twist on a banking imposter scam targeting the military. In this latest con, imposters call servicemembers and pretend to be from or working with DFAS (for us civilians, that’s the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, a Department of Defense agency that handles getting pay to servicemembers). Here’s how the scam plays out. For more info click here.
Visit ftc.gov/languages for fraud and scam advice in 12 languages
Fraud affects every community, and it’s not unusual for scammers to run their scam in the language you speak at home. Now, the FTC has information in a dozen languages to help you spot and avoid those scams at ftc.gov/languages. You’ll find info in Amharic, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), French, Hmong, Korean, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Ukrainian. So, what will you find there? click here.
Recovery scams will follow Hurricane Ian. Here’s how to spot them
Nobody knows how long it’ll take to recover from the destruction Hurricane Ian left behind. But we do know it won’t be long before scammers start trying to cash in on the deadly storm. Whether you’re getting back on your feet or looking for ways to help people in areas hit hardest, learn how scammers operate — and how to avoid them. For more details, click here.
Bike Safety
Bike Smart: The Official Guide to Cycling in New York City is a helpful handbook with information on making your cycling trip safer and easier, including tips on using newer bike facilities such as protected lanes and bike boxes, and basic tips for locking your bicycle. NYC DOT distributes up to 325,000 copies per year of the New York City Bike Map, which contains the most important rules of the road highlighted in the Bike Smart Guide. For more information, please click here.
September is National Preparedness Month. Are you ready?
National Preparedness Month is a great time to get ready for whatever may come your way. Making a plan is the best way to protect you and your family. For more details, please click here.
Avoid a scammer’s money grab during Older Americans Month
Scammers may demand payment by wire transfers, gift cards, and cryptocurrency — methods that transfer funds quickly and anonymously. During Older Americans Month, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission are partnering together to help older adults and their families and friends know what to do if someone demands payment by these methods, and where to report fraud.
Give yourself some credit (reports)
During Financial Literacy Month, we’ve focused on steps to protect your money by spotting and avoiding scams. But here’s another important way to help protect your wallet: regularly check your credit reports. For more information, click here.
April is National Cannabis Awareness Month, an opportunity to shed light and educate on this growing topic. Marijuana– which can also be called cannabis, weed, pot, or dope— is the most commonly used federally illegal drug in the United States, with an estimated 48.2 million people using it in 2019.
Although marijuana is used for medical and non-medical adult use, this does not mean it is safe. Scientists are still learning about the health effects and the potential health benefits of using marijuana. Even though more research is needed to fully understand some of the health effects of marijuana. The following resources have been added or updated: Learn more on CDC’s Marijuana and Public Health | Español (Spanish)