Black Friday is known for doorbuster deals and unbeatable discounts, but some flashy ads proclaiming "70% off!” or "Lowest price of the year!" might offer few actual savings. Before you rush to buy, consider these strategies to help you make wise financial decisions this holiday season. Two Ways to Spot Genuine Black Friday Deals It’s easy to assume you’re getting the best deal when you see price...

On the internet, as on Halloween night, it's not always easy to distinguish between tricks and treats. Much like a candy-filled jack-o'-lantern, your smartphone contains an enticing array of personal and financial information. This makes cybersecurity crucial for protecting your financial well-being from digital ghouls and goblins. Unmasking the Monsters Cybercrooks constantly change their...

As temperatures drop and heating bills rise, you might be shopping for ways to improve your home's energy efficiency. While legitimate products and services exist, scammers use the transition period from fall to winter to con unsuspecting homeowners with too-good-to-be-true offers. Insulate your defenses against home-related scams by learning about them before the season’s first snowfall. What is...

Scammers know that when potential victims believe they are speaking with someone whom they actually know and trust, they’re less likely to verify the details of requests for money or sensitive financial data. Here’s what you should know about this increasingly prevalent scam and what you can do to protect yourself from becoming a victim. A Typical AI Voice Cloning Scam Scenario ( Ring! Ring!)...

Consumers love technology — and so do crooks. While e-banking is a secure way to manage finances online, fraudsters often trick people into sharing the very security details designed to keep their accounts safe. These bad actors combine stolen account details or other personally identifiable information along with smishing and vishing techniques to steal money directly from members by pretending...

Many people count on their tax refunds to help pay down debt, make a special purchase, or cover an unexpected expense. But, crooks can intercept federal income tax refunds with only a small amount of personal information: your name and Social Security number (SSN). Fraudsters use this data to file fake returns. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has termed this crime "stolen identity refund fraud...

A global health crisis, unexpected medical diagnosis, catastrophic weather event, or national economic downturn can quickly undo your upcoming retirement plans. Your first instinct might be to delay retirement or revise your investment portfolio. While you may need to take these actions, there are other options. In addition to using the checklists below to help manage your finances during...

Smart consumers aren't the only ones who stay alert to financial scams. Criminals also keep their eyes open to fraud alerts published by watchdog websites, like Fraud.org. They use this information to tweak their schemes, making them sound more realistic to unsuspecting victims. Fortunately, you can still avoid most scams by focusing on the common tactics criminals use to get you to believe their...