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Shopping Advice

Avoid Scams When You Travel

Before you start your travel plans, learn common tactics scammers use that can ruin your entire trip.

Avoiding and Reporting Gift Card Scams

If someone insists that you to pay them with gift cards, stop. You’re dealing with a scammer.

Buy Now, Pay Later, Rent-to-Own, Lease-to-Own, and Layaway

When you shop for new appliances, furniture, or expensive electronics, a seller might offer different ways to pay over time. Here’s what to know.

Buying Alaska Native Art

If you want to buy genuine Alaska Native-made arts and crafts, learn about the materials, appearance, and price of authentic items.

Buying American Indian Arts and Crafts

Sometimes it can be hard to tell whether arts and crafts are genuine or are imitations. Learning about American Indian arts and crafts can help you make sure to buy quality, authentic pieces.

Buying From an Online Marketplace

Online marketplaces sell goods from local groups and national companies. Before you buy, learn about refunds, returns, and how to get help in case of problems.

Gemstones, Diamonds, and Pearls

Before you buy, know that gemstones, diamonds, and pearls may be natural, manufactured, or treated to change their appearance.

Getting In and Out of Free Trials, Auto-Renewals, and Negative Option Subscriptions

Offers for subscriptions and free trials can cost you more that you bargained for if you’re not careful.

Hiring a Lawyer

Take time to find a lawyer with relevant experience in the legal area you need. Find out about experience, fees, and possible outcomes. Get agreements in writing.

How To Evaluate Online Reviews

Online reviews might help you decide what to buy or what company to hire. You should be able to trust that these reviews reflect the honest opinions of people who actually used a product or service. Unfortunately, some reviews are fake, deceptive, or manipulated — and that hurts both people and honest companies.

How To Report Suspicious Online Reviews

How to report suspicious online reviews across some popular websites.

Online Shopping

Before you buy online, comparison shop and check sellers and products. Keep records of purchases to make sure you can hold a seller to its promises

Platinum, Gold, and Silver Jewelry

Before you shop, learn about the words and symbols jewelers use to describe the quality and purity of the platinum, gold, and silver jewelry.

What To Know Before You Wire Money

Scammers pressure you to wire money to them because it’s easy to take your money and disappear.

Warranties and Service Contracts

Extended Warranties and Service Contracts

Before you buy an extended warranty or service contract, compare it to the warranty that came with the product. Will buying the coverage add extra benefits?

Warranties

A warranty is a manufacturer's promise to stand behind its product. Read the warranty to see what is and isn’t covered, and what to do in case of problems

Solving Problems

Buyer’s Remorse: The FTC’s Cooling-Off Rule May Help

The Cooling-Off Rule gives you 3 days to cancel sales made at your home or certain other locations. But not all sales are covered.

Refund and Recovery Scams

If you’ve been scammed, someone might promise to help you get your money back –– if you pay in advance. That’s another scam.

Sample Customer Complaint Letter

Here's a sample to help you write a complaint letter about a product or service.

Solving Problems With a Business: Returns, Refunds, and Other Resolutions

These strategies can help you resolve a problem if you aren’t satisfied with a product or service.

What To Do if You Were Scammed

Find out what to do if you paid someone you think is a scammer, or if you gave a scammer your personal information or access to your computer or phone.

What To Do if You’re Billed for Things You Never Got, or You Get Unordered Products

Billed for products you never ordered, or for products you ordered but never got? Federal laws protect you. Here's what to do.

Related Scams

From Consumer Alerts

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Consumer Alert

Avoid scam websites that offer to help you get or renew your passport

Gema de las Heras

July 3, 2024

Do you need to apply for or renew your passport? If you search online, the top results might show official-looking websites that say they can renew or get you a passport. Some of these websites are private companies that charge you for services that are free on the U.S. Department of State website…while others are scammers trying to take your money and personal information.

Consumer Alert

Adobe used hidden fee to trap people into paying for subscription plans, FTC says

Andrew Rayo

June 17, 2024

Maybe you want to try out a product for a little while before you make a long-term decision. So, you sign up for a monthly subscription plan. Everything is fine until you want to cancel and it turns out to be a yearly subscription with monthly payments. Surprise! That’s what the FTC says happened to people who signed up for monthly subscriptions with Adobe.

Consumer Alert

Spot an ad on social for a low, low price on a brand name product? Think twice

Cristina Miranda

May 13, 2024

Social media feeds are flooded with ads offering steep discounts on brand-name products, including luxury items. But are these offers real or a scam? When a low-priced “deal” pops into your socials, take a closer look before you buy. Here’s why.

Consumer Alert

Do you really own the digital items you paid for?

Amy Hebert

April 17, 2024

Have you ever bought a video game, e-book, song, or movie to enjoy on one of your devices, whether it be a gaming console, tablet, or phone? If so, you might think that you’ll always have access to these things. But you might not — here’s why.