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Free Publications from the FTC for Consumers About Email Scams, Internet Frauds and How to Report a Fraud
Free Publications for Consumers About Email Scams, Internet Frauds, Identity Theft and How to Report Frauds
Now you can get free, useful consumer information from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)! The publications are either in a plain text format, a PDF file (which prints just like the original publication) and in a few cases, a RAM or MP3 for an audio file that features one minute of related information from Shirley Rooker, director of WTOP's Call for Action. If you want the PDF version, you'll need Adobe's free reader, which is loaded on most pc's these days already. If not, you can obtain the free version here, from CNET or Adobe.
This information is direct from the United States Federal Trade Commission's website!
When you click on the TEXT or PDF link, a new window will open (but this page will still be there, underneath). Some of these documents are pretty big, so be patient; it may take 4 or 5 minutes to fully open, especially if you have a slow connection!
To print the document when the new window opens:
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for TEXT files, on the top left corner of the screen, click "File" and then "Print"
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for PDF's: click on the little printer icon (picture) that is just to right of "Save a copy"
Free Government Publications:
Automatic Debit / Debit Card Scams
- Automatic Debit Scams [TEXT] [PDF]
-
Buying A New Vehicle
-
Buying A Used Vehicle
-
Truth in Auto Financing Brochure
en Espaņol
Business Opportunity and Work From Home Scams
- 'Net Based Business Opportunities: Are Some Flop-portunities? [TEXT] [PDF]
- Online Investment Opportunities: 'Net Profit or 'Net Gloss? [TEXT] [PDF]
- Online Investment Opportunities: 'Net Profit or 'Net Gloss? Campaign [TEXT]
Buying / Paying / Shopping Online
- A Consumer's Guide to E-Payments [TEXT] [PDF]
- Electronic Check Conversion [TEXT] [PDF]
- Electronic Banking [TEXT] [PDF]
- Going Shopping? Go Global! A Guide for E-Consumers [TEXT] [PDF]
- Holiday Shopping? How To Be On Guard When You're Online [TEXT] [PDF]
- Holiday Shopping Online: Plan Ahead for Secure Surfing [TEXT] [PDF]
- Internet Auctions: A Guide for Buyer and Sellers [TEXT] [PDF]
- Problems With Holiday Purchases? [TEXT] [PDF]
- Shop Online Safely [TEXT] [PDF]
- Ready to Pop Your Top Over "Pop Up Spam?" Here's How to Make it Stop [TEXT] [PDF]
Charities and donations
- Helping Victims of the Terrorist Attacks: Your Guide to Giving Wisely [TEXT] [PDF]
- Entertainment Ratings: Pocket Guide [TEXT] [PDF]
- Operation Phony Philanthropy: Charity Fraud [TEXT]
- The Savvy Consumer's Checklist Donating Wisely (PDF)
Check Cashing Scams
- Check Overpayment Scams: Seller Beware [TEXT] [PDF]
- Taking the "Bait" Out of Rebate [TEXT] [PDF]
- The "Nigerian" Scam: Costly Compassion [TEXT] [PDF]
Children's safety online
- How to Protect Kids' Privacy Online [TEXT] [PDF]
- How to Protect Kids' Privacy Online: A Guide for Teachers [TEXT] [PDF]
- Kidz Privacy - Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act [TEXT]
- Online Gambling and Kids: A Bad Bet [TEXT] [PDF]
- You, Your Privacy Policy and COPPA. How to Comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act [TEXT] [PDF]
Computer Dialing Viruses
- When Your Computer Calls Overseas ...Without Your Okay [TEXT] [PDF]
- Computer Dialer Fraud (audio) [TEXT] [RAM] [MP3]
- High-Tech Scenario: Modem Redialing (audio) [TEXT] [RAM] [MP3]
Credit Scams
- Consumer Credit File Privacy: The Real Deal [TEXT] [PDF]
- Credit Cards (HTML) (PDF)
- Credit Reporting (HTML English) (PDF English) (PDF Polish)
- Informe Sobre el Credito (HTML) (PDF)
eBay and other online auctions
- Spam: Don't Want Your Email Address Harvested? [TEXT] [PDF]
- Keep Your Email Address Unlisted: There Is No "National Do Not Email Registry" [TEXT] [PDF]
- Email Address Harvesting: How Spammers Reap What You Sow [TEXT] [PDF]
- All Email Users: What You Need to Know About Chain Emails & Letters [TEXT] [PDF]
- Chain Emails: Just Another Ploy or the Real McCoy? [TEXT]
- Chain email: Break the Chain [TEXT]
- The Lowdown on Chain Letters [TEXT] [PDF]
- What's In Your In-box? [TEXT] [PDF]
- Who's Spamming Who? Could it Be You? [TEXT] [PDF]
- You've Got Spam: How to "Can" Unwanted Email [TEXT] [PDF]
- Unsolicited Mail, Telemarketing and Email: Where to Go to "Just Say No" [TEXT] [PDF]
Employment and Job Scams
- Internet Employment Scams (PDF)
Fake "free" and discount services and products
- Ads for International Drivers' Licenses or Permits Could Be a Dead End [TEXT] [PDF]
- Computers For Next to Nothing: What's the Deal? [TEXT] [PDF]
- "Free" and "Low-Cost" PC Offers. Go Figure. [TEXT] [PDF]
- "Free" Pager Scams (audio) [TEXT] [RAM] [MP3]
- Hide and Go Seek: Finding the Disclosures in "Free" Internet Service Offers [TEXT] [PDF]
- Trial Offers: The Deal Is in the Details [TEXT] [PDF]
Faxes
Finances
- Bankruptcy (HTML) (PDF)
- Debt Collection (HTML) (PDF)
- FACT Act (Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act) (PDF)
- How to Obtain a Free Credit Report (HTML) (PDF English) (PDF Espaņol)
General Scam and Fraud Information
- FTC Names Its Dirty Dozen: 12 Scams Most Likely To Arrive Via Bulk Email [TEXT] [PDF]
- Top Ten Dot Cons: Consumer Information [TEXT]
- Stop.Think.Click: 7 Practices for Safer Computing [TEXT] [PDF]
Health Care Issues
- Health Care Discount Plan
English
Espaņol
- Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (PDF)
- Choosing a Medicare Drug Discount Card or Drug Discount Program (PDF)
- Cutting Costs On Prescription Drugs (PDF)
- Cutting Costs On Prescription Drugs Brochure (PDF)
- Choosing A Drug Plan: It's Not Just The Premium That Matters (PDF)
- Prescription Drug Discount Cards (PDF)
- Prescription Drug Prices (PDF)
- Protecting Yourself from Health Care Fraud Brochure
(PDF English)
(PDF Espaņol) - Your Patient Rights - Fully Insured Employer Group Plan Brochure (PDF)
- Your Patient Rights - Individually Purchased Plan Brochure (PDF)
- Your Patient Rights - Managed Care Plan Brochure (PDF)
- Your Patient Rights - Self-Insured Employer Plan Brochure (PDF)
Home Repair and Housing Issues
- Tips To Avoid Home Repair Fraud (HTML)
- Three Day Right to Cancel Home Repair (HTML) (PDF) Updated 9/04
- Disaster Recovery (PDF)
- Financing Home Repairs (PDF)
- Gas and Electric - Consumer Rights (PDF)
- Gas and Electric - Consumer Rights (PDF Espaņol)
- Your Electric Bill Brochure (PDF) (PDF Espaņol)
- Home Equity (HTML) (PDF) (PDF Espaņol)
- Home Heating Brochure (PDF English) Espaņol Polish
- Home Repair and Construction (HTML) (PDF)
- Home Repair: Know Your Consumer Rights (PDF)
- Home Repair and Remodeling Act ( effective January 1, 2000 ) (HTML)
- Household Moves (HTML) (PDF)
- Landlord and Tenant Rights and Laws (PDF)
- The Natural Gas Price Spiral Report (PDF)
- The Savvy Consumer's Checklist - Home Repair (PDF)
Identity Theft
- Privacy: Tips for Protecting Your Personal Information [TEXT] [PDF]
- Privacy: What You Do Know Can Protect You [TEXT] [PDF]
- Take Charge: Fighting Back Against Identity Theft [TEXT] [PDF]
- ID Theft: When Bad Things Happen To Your Good Name [TEXT] [PDF]
- Consumer's Checklist Protecting Your Identity (PDF)
- Phishing (PDF)
- Identity Theft Hotline (HTML)
- Illinois Identity Theft Hotline brochure (PDF)
- Identity Theft (PDF)
- Placing A Security Freeze On Your Credit Report (PDF in English)
- Protecting Your Identity Brochure (PDF in English) (PDF en Espaņol)
- Identity Theft Resource Guide for Illinois Consumers (PDF)
- Identity Theft Victim Kit (PDF)
- Reporting Identity Theft as a Victim (PDF)
- Carta de Robo de identidad (HTML) (PDF)
- Robo de identidad (HTML) (PDF)
- Federal Trade Commission - en Espanol
- Veterans Affairs Security Breach (PDF)
Immigration and Green Card Scams
- Immigration Fraud (HTML)
- Immigration Fraud (PDF English)
- Immigration Fraud (PDF Espaņol)
- Immigration Right Poster (PDF English)
- Immigration Fraud Poster (PDF Espaņol)
Loans and Mortagages
- Truth in Auto Financing Brochure (PDF)
- Looking for a Mortgage (PDF English) (PDF Espaņol)
- Mortgage Lending Guide (PDF)
- Mortgage Rescue Fraud (PDF)
- Mortgage Rescue Fraud Brochure (PDF) (PDF Espaņol)
- Payday Loans (HTML) (PDF) (PDF Espaņol)
- The Payday Loan Reform Act (PDF)
- Predatory Lending (PDF)
- Refund Anticipation Loans (Instant Tax Refund Loans) (HTML) (PDF)
- Truth in Auto Financing (PDF)
Lottery and Gambling Scams
- International Lottery Scams [TEXT] [PDF]
- Online Gambling and Kids: A Bad Bet [TEXT] [PDF]
- Online Shopping Tips - Bookmark [PDF]
- New Spin On Sweepstakes Scams [TEXT] [PDF]
- Prize Offers: You Don't Have to Pay to Play [TEXT] [PDF]
Miscellaneous
- Magazine Subscription Scams [TEXT] [PDF]
- Medical Billing Business Opportunity Schemes [TEXT] [PDF]
- Helping Older Consumers Avoid Charity Fraud [TEXT] [PDF]
- OnGuard Online Website [TEXT]
and Bookmark [PDF]
These links will take you from the FTC's website to OnGuardOnline.gov. OnGuard Online is a partnership between the FTC, other federal agencies, and the technology industry. - Stay Safe Online Postcard [PDF]
- Using Internet Access Products [TEXT] [PDF]
- Video Games: Reading the Ratings on the Games People Play [TEXT] [PDF]
Phishing and Spoofed (fake) websites
- How Not to Get Hooked by a 'Phishing' Scam [TEXT] [PDF]
- Is Someone "Phishing" for Your Information? [TEXT] [PDF]
- Trapped in the Tangled Web: Web Scheme Diverts Consumers from Their Intended Sites [TEXT] [PDF]
Pornography online
Pyramid Schemes and MLM
- Don't Get Burned ... by a Pyramid Scheme Campaign [TEXT]
Real Estate and Mortgages
Scam Services
- Being Frank about Search Engine Rank [TEXT] [PDF]
- Dot Cons: FTC's Top 10 Dot Cons [TEXT] [PDF]
- What's Dot and What's Not: Domain Name Registration Scams [TEXT] [PDF]
Scholarships and Schools
Security - Antivirus, Anti-Ad ware, Anti-Spam Tools
- Detect, Protect, Disinfect: Consumers Online Face Wide Choices in Security Products [TEXT] [PDF]
- P2P File-Sharing: Evaluating the Risks [TEXT] [PDF]
- Securing Your Wireless Network [TEXT] [PDF]
- Spyware [TEXT] [PDF]
Shopping Scams
- Shopping (HTML) (PDF)
- Shopping for the Holidays (PDF)
- Online Scams (HTML) (PDF)
- Shopping on the Internet (PDF)
- Holiday Shopping Online (PDF)
Telemarketing
- Are You Getting Telemarketing Calls You Don't Want? Here's How to Stop Them [TEXT] [PDF]
- Straight Talk About Telemarketing [TEXT] [PDF]
- Telemarketing Recovery Scams [TEXT] [PDF]
- Telemarketing Travel Fraud [TEXT] [PDF]
Telephone / Cell Phone
- Fraud on the Line: Avoiding "Do Not Call" Scams [TEXT] [PDF]
- Putting Telephone Scams...On Hold [TEXT] [PDF]
- VoIP: It's A Phone, It's a Computer, It's ... [TEXT] [PDF]
- Toll-Free Telephone Number Scams [TEXT] [PDF]
- Unauthorized Charge$ On Your Phone Bill? [TEXT]
- Unauthorized Charges Crammed onto Your Telephone Bill? [TEXT] [PDF]
- Pay-Per-Call Services (HTML) (PDF)
- Phone Scams (HTML) (PDF)
- Spamming (HTML) (PDF)
- Unwanted Junk Mail and Telemarketing Calls (HTML) (PDF)
Terrorism
- Identity Theft Video News Release [length: 2 mins, 30 sec]
Real Media: Dial Up Connection
Real Media: High Speed Connection
Windows Media: Dial Up Connection
Windows Media: High Speed Connection - Offers to Treat Biological Threats: What You Need to Know [TEXT] [PDF]
Travel
- Site-Seeing on the Internet: A Consumer's Guide to Travel in Cyberspace [TEXT]
- Travel Scams (audio) [TEXT] [RAM] [MP3]
- Traveling in Cyberspace? Be Savvy! Campaign [TEXT]
- Telemarketing Travel Fraud [TEXT] [PDF]
Work from Home
- Work-at-Home Schemes [TEXT] [PDF]
- Work-at-Home PSA - 10 Seconds (audio) [TEXT] [RAM] [MP3]
- Work-at-Home PSA - 20 Seconds (audio) [TEXT] [RAM] [MP3]
- Work-at-Home PSA - 30 Seconds (audio) [TEXT] [RAM] [MP3]
- Work-at-Home PSA - 60 Seconds (audio) [TEXT] [RAM] [MP3]
- Magazine Sales (HTML) (PDF)
- Multilevel Marketing (HTML) (PDF)
- Pyramid Schemes (HTML) (PDF)
- Work-At-Home Schemes (HTML) (PDF)
Cases
- Combating Internet Fraud and Deception (05/01) [PDF]
- Going, Going, Gone... Law Enforcement Efforts to Combat Internet Auction Fraud (2/14/00) [PDF]
- Internet Case List (05/01) [PDF]
Public Comments
- Electronic Signatures In Global And National Commerce Act (2001) [TEXT]
- Electronic Media Issues [TEXT]
- U.S. Perspectives on Consumer Protection in the Global Electronic Marketplace [TEXT]
Rules and Acts
Staff Comments and Letters
- Consumer Privacy in the Online Marketplace (12/96) [TEXT] [PDF]
- Consumer Privacy in the Online Marketplace (12/96) Appendices [PDF]
- Fighting Consumer Fraud: New Tools of the Trade (4/98) [ZIP-WP6] [TEXT] [PDF]
- Fighting Consumer Fraud: The Challenge and the Campaign (01/97) [TEXT]
- Going, Going, Gone... Law Enforcement Efforts to Combat Internet Auction Fraud (2/14/00) [TEXT] [PDF]
- Protecting Children's Privacy Under COPPA: A Survey on Compliance [PDF]
- Privacy Online: A Report to Congress [TEXT]
- Children and Privacy Online [TEXT]
- Protecting Consumers Online: A Federal Trade Commission Report on the First Five Years of Its Internet Law Enforcement Program [PDF]
Testimony
- Chairman Pitofsky: Internet Privacy [TEXT]
- Chairman Pitofsky: Protection of Children's Privacy on the World Wide Web [TEXT]
- Commissioner Anthony: Children's Online Privacy [TEXT]
Workshops & Seminars
- FTC/DOC Esign Workshop: Electronic Signatures In Global And National Commerce Act (2001) [TEXT]
- Etail dEtails: A Special Seminar on Internet Marketing (2001) [TEXT]
- The Mobile Wireless Web, Data Services and Beyond: Emerging Technologies and Consumer Issues (2000) [TEXT]
- Joint Workshop on Alternative Dispute Resolution for Online Consumer Transactions (2000) [TEXT]
- U.S. Perspectives on Consumer Protection in the Global Electronic Marketplace (1999) [TEXT]
- Interpretation of Rules and Guides for Electronic Media (1999) [TEXT]
- Public Workshop on Consumer Information Privacy (1997) [TEXT]
- Consumer Privacy on the Global Information Infrastructure (1996) [TEXT]
- Consumer Protection and the Global Information Infrastructure Workshop (1995) [TEXT]
