Use National Consumer Protection Week to Guard Against Scams

The best way to combat fraud is by becoming a more informed consumer

Each year, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) designates the first week of March as National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW). In 2025, NCPW is March 2-8. If you’re concerned about maintaining online privacy and guarding your identity (and who isn’t?), use National Consumer Protection Week as an opportunity to learn more about your consumer rights and discover the best ways to avoid fraud, scams, and identity theft.

Here’s a brief guide on how to take advantage of this year’s NCPW to become a smarter—and better protected—consumer.

Access free resources

Be sure to bookmark these key web pages:

• • To learn more about your rights as a consumer and how you can defend yourself against predatory practices, visit consumer.ftc.gov.
• • To report fraud, scams, or bad business practices, visit ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
• • Get important fraud-fighting tips specifically designed for seniors, college students, and the military community.

Learn how to spot and avoid scams

Scams can take many different forms, but they typically employ one or more of the following tactics, according to the FTC:

• • Pretending—Scammers need to earn your trust, which is why they often claim to be from a real business or government agency.
• • Problem or prize—Scammers often falsely claim that you’ve got some problem to deal with (legal, financial, or otherwise), or that you’ve won money or a big prize.
• • Pressure—Scammers often urge or coerce you to take action immediately, before you have time to check out their story.
• • Payment—Scammers often insist that you pay them via nontraditional methods like cryptocurrency, wire transfer, payment app, or numbers on a gift card.

To avoid common scams, the FTC suggests that you:

• • Block unwanted calls and text messages.
• • Refuse to give out personal or financial information to unverified parties.
• • Contact companies through their official websites instead of clicking questionable links in emails or text messages.
• • Resist pressure to act immediately on any unexpected call, text, or email.
• • Refuse anyone who insists that you pay them only with cryptocurrency or other nontraditional methods.
• • Speak with a trusted friend or family member regarding any questions you have about the situation.

Keep up with consumer alerts

Finally, look for the latest consumer alerts from the FTC, as these contain timely and important information about privacy and identity threats. In just the past few months, for example, the FTC has issued alerts regarding a variety of scams such as:

• • Unwanted package scam—In this scheme, a sketchy retailer gets a person’s address, sends them unsolicited goods, then writes a phony online product review under that person’s name. It’s an identity risk for the recipient of the package.
• • Senior care scam—Scammers are contacting older people with an offer of free in-home care in exchange for the victim’s Medicare number. It’s an attempt to commit Medicare fraud.
• • Job offer scam—Fraudsters are sending text messages in which they claim to be recruiters offering an amazing job. The job isn’t real; the scammer is trying to pry money or personal information from the victim.

Staying safe from frauds, scams, and identity theft is an ongoing responsibility. By taking advantage of smart advice during National Consumer Protection Week, you’ll enjoy more peace of mind for the rest of the year.