Category: Scams & Your Rights
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The FTC never asks for money to release a refund it owes someone
Every refund the Federal Trade Commission sends to consumers comes with one fixed rule: the person receiving the money pays nothing to get it. The agency says it will never tell anyone to transfer money in order to “get a refund,” and it never asks for upfront fees. That rule matters because FTC refunds are…
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A federal court shut down a debt-relief operation that targeted seniors and veterans
A federal court in Arizona has permanently shut down Accelerated Debt Settlement, a debt-relief operation that the Federal Trade Commission says went after seniors and veterans by posing as banks, credit card companies and government agencies. The FTC announced the result on October 22. The U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona entered a…
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Social Security’s inspector general says people 70 and older lose more money per scam than those under 70, and neither Social Security nor its inspector general ever asks for cash, crypto or secrecy
Social Security’s Office of the Inspector General says people 70 and older lose more money per scam than victims under 70. The finding comes from Issue 20 of the office’s quarterly scam report, which covers April 1 through June 30, 2026, the third quarter of the federal fiscal year. The measure is the average loss…
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The FTC warned on October 26 that scammers posing as well-known charities are claiming people won a sweepstakes, then demanding payment or a Social Security number
The Federal Trade Commission warned on Monday, October 26, that scammers are posing as well-known charities and telling people they won a sweepstakes. The catch comes next. Before any prize is released, the caller or the ad asks for a payment or a Social Security number. The warning came as a consumer alert from the…
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GoodRx users have until December 29 to file a privacy claim, and no judge rules on final approval until February 11, 2027
A claim filed by December 29 could pay out well after a federal judge takes up the GoodRx privacy settlement on February 11, 2027, and the money may not move even then. The deal sets aside $32 million, paid by GoodRx and Criteo. Anyone in the United States who used GoodRx before April 20, 2024,…
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Bacon and raw pork buyers in 23 states and D.C. have until October 29 to file against Tyson, Hormel, Seaboard, Clemens and Triumph, and no receipts are required
People who bought bacon or raw pork at a grocery store in 24 places between 2014 and 2018 have until Thursday, October 29, to file a claim in the pork antitrust settlements. Five meat companies have agreed to pay a combined $117,065,000: Tyson, Hormel, Seaboard, Clemens and Triumph. The claim page says no documentation is…
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Natural Grocers is refunding 2-pound organic mung bean bags sold in 22 states
Natural Grocers is offering a full refund or store credit on its 2-pound bags of bulk organic mung beans after customers reported sharp glass fragments in the product. The company behind the stores, Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Markets of Lakewood, Colorado, announced the recall on October 22, 2026, and the FDA posted it the same…
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North Carolina crypto kiosks must hold new customers’ transactions for 48 hours starting January 1
Starting January 1, 2027, a cryptocurrency kiosk in North Carolina must hold a newcomer’s order for 48 hours before any coins move. The rule comes from House Bill 920, the Virtual Currency Kiosk Consumer Protection Act, now Session Law 2026-45. The governor signed it on July 7, 2026, and the General Assembly’s bill page shows…
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A judge ordered Holly Christina Photography to pay nearly $600,000 after 228 consumer complaints
A North Carolina judge has granted a default judgment against Holly Christina Photography, a wedding photography business, ordering it to pay nearly $600,000 in restitution plus more than $1.1 million in civil penalties. Attorney General Jeff Jackson’s office announced the ruling on October 12, 2026. A default judgment means the defendants did not fully answer…
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Connecticut solar customers signed up through forged or unauthorized contracts can seek uncapped restitution from Sunrun, which must answer fraud claims within 60 days
Connecticut solar customers whose contracts were signed through forged signatures, or without their full consent, can seek restitution from Sunrun with no cap on the amount, under a settlement announced October 23, 2026 by Attorney General William Tong. Sunrun must investigate each fraud claim and send the customer a response within 60 days. The attorney…