Table of Contents
Introduction: The Phone Call That Shattered My World
The call came on a Saturday morning, a time typically reserved for the quiet ritual of coffee and the rustle of newspaper pages.
The number on my screen was local, familiar enough to bypass my usual skepticism.
But the voice on the other end was a jolt of pure adrenaline.
It was frantic, choked with a manufactured panic I now recognize as the hallmark of a professional predator.
“Mom, please help me.
These guys, they’ve taken me,” a young man’s voice sobbed, a sound designed to bypass reason and strike directly at the heart.1
Before I could process the words, a deeper, colder voice took over.
“OK, we’ve got your daughter here.
How much would you pay for your daughter’s life?”.1
In that instant, my world compressed to the size of my phone.
The quiet Saturday morning shattered into a million sharp-edged pieces.
They knew my daughter’s name.
They said she’d been in a car accident, that someone was hurt, and that she was in serious trouble with the law.
They told me not to hang up, not to call anyone, especially not the police, or things would get worse for her.
They needed money, and they needed it now.
What followed was a blur of terror and coerced compliance that lasted for hours.
I was a puppet, and the voice on the phone was the master, pulling my strings with terrifying precision.
They directed me from my home to my bank, then to a series of drugstores, instructing me to buy thousands of dollars in gift cards and read the numbers off the back.2
Each transaction was a fresh wave of nausea and fear.
Every fiber of my being screamed that something was wrong, but the threat against my child was a vise grip on my soul, squeezing out all logic.
The cashier at one store looked at me with concern, asking if I was alright.
The scammers had prepped me for this.
“Just tell them you’re chatting with a friend,” they’d coached.2
So I did.
I lied to a stranger’s kindness to appease a criminal’s cruelty.
And then, just like that, the line went dead.
Silence.
The adrenaline drained away, leaving a cold, hollow dread in its place.
I called my daughter.
She answered on the second ring, her voice cheerful and completely oblivious.
She was at home, safe, studying for an exam.
She had never been in an accident.
There was no kidnapper.
There was no emergency.
There was only me, standing in a parking lot, the slick plastic of worthless gift cards in my hand, and the gut-wrenching, soul-crushing realization that I had been played.
Every dollar I had sent was gone.
The immediate aftermath was a private hell of shame and self-recrimination.
Well-meaning friends and family offered sympathy, but their questions felt like accusations: “How could you fall for that?” “Didn’t you see the red flags?” This chorus of disbelief is a common experience for victims; society has a tendency to blame them for being “duped” rather than recognizing the sophisticated, professional nature of the criminals who target them.3
My calls to the bank were met with regretful but firm explanations that gift card and wire transactions are irreversible.
The local police took a report but were candid about the near-impossibility of tracing the perpetrators, who were likely operating from another continent.
I felt utterly alone, a victim of a perfect, untraceable crime.
The financial loss was devastating, but the loss of agency, the feeling of being so completely and easily manipulated, was the deeper wound.
My world had been upended, and there seemed to be no system, no authority, capable of setting it right.
That feeling of helplessness became a burning question: In a world of such sophisticated, borderless crime, who is actually watching the watchtowers? My search for an answer would eventually lead me to an imposing stone building in Washington, d+.C., at an address I would never forget: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.5
Part I: Anatomy of a Deception
In the days that followed, once the initial shock subsided, my journalistic instincts began to surface through the fog of shame.
To reclaim some sense of control, I started to deconstruct the scam that had ensnared me, not just as a victim, but as an investigator.
I wanted to understand the mechanics of my own ruin.
It was a painful but necessary process of mapping the architecture of the fraud.
Deconstructing the Scam
The attack was a masterclass in psychological manipulation, built on three core pillars that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) now warns about constantly.
First was The Impersonation.
Scammers thrive by cloaking themselves in the authority of an organization you know and trust.6
They pretend to be from the government—the IRS, the Social Security Administration, or local law enforcement—or, as in my case, they stage a family emergency, putting a loved one’s voice on the line.7
They often use technology to “spoof” their caller ID, so the call appears to come from a legitimate source, disarming you from the very first moment.6
Second was The Pressure Cooker.
The entire scam is designed to induce a state of panic that short-circuits rational thought.
Scammers create a sense of extreme urgency, insisting you must act immediately.6
They use threats of arrest, lawsuits, deportation, or, in my case, physical harm to a family member, to keep you in a heightened state of fear.7
A key tactic is ordering you not to hang up or speak to anyone else, effectively isolating you in a bubble of their control, where their narrative is the only reality you can access.6
Third was The Payment Channel.
This is perhaps the most critical and revealing component of the criminal enterprise.
Scammers demand payment in specific, irreversible ways: wire transfers through services like Western Union or MoneyGram, cryptocurrency, or, as in my case, gift cards.6
This is not a random preference.
It is a calculated business decision.
Traditional payment systems, like credit and debit cards, have robust consumer protections and fraud-dispute processes, often called “chargebacks,” that allow victims to reclaim their money.9
Scammers know this, so they deliberately steer their victims toward channels where transactions are as good as cash—instantaneous, untraceable, and final.
The moment a supposed government agent or frantic relative asks you to settle a debt with an Apple gift card, you are no longer in a legitimate conversation; you are in the crosshairs of a fraudster.
The Widespread Nature of the Plague
My investigation quickly revealed that my experience was far from unique.
It was a single, painful data point in a national epidemic of fraud.
According to newly released data from the FTC, consumers reported losing a staggering $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, a 25% increase over the previous year.10
While the number of fraud reports remained stable at 2.6 million, the percentage of people who reported losing money jumped significantly, from 27% in 2023 to 38% in 2024.10
The most common type of reported scam was the very one that targeted me: imposter scams, which accounted for the second-highest monetary losses at $2.95 billion.10
These were followed by complaints about online shopping, and then scams related to business and job opportunities, a category where reported losses grew by nearly $250 million in a single year.10
The data paints a clear picture of a sophisticated criminal industry that is constantly evolving its tactics to exploit new vulnerabilities in our increasingly digital lives.
To help consumers navigate this treacherous landscape, it’s crucial to recognize the patterns.
The table below breaks down some of the most common scams and their tell-tale red flags.
| Scam Type | The Pitch | Key Red Flags |
| Impersonator Scam | “I’m from the IRS/FBI/your grandson’s lawyer. You/they are in trouble and need to send money immediately.” | Pressures you to act immediately; Threatens arrest or harm; Insists on secrecy; Asks for payment via gift card, wire transfer, or crypto.6 |
| Debt Relief Scam | “We can reduce or eliminate your credit card debt for a small fee. This is a new government program.” | Asks for fees upfront (which is illegal); Guarantees to eliminate debt; Tells you to stop paying creditors.11 |
| Online Shopping Scam | “Incredible 80-90% off deals on popular brands! Limited-time clearance sale.” | Prices are too good to be true; Website is newly created or has typos; Uses fake logos of well-known stores; No physical address or contact info.10 |
| Investment Scam | “Guaranteed high returns with little to no risk. Get in on the ground floor of this crypto/forex opportunity.” | Promises guaranteed returns; Pressures you to invest more to cover “taxes” or “fees”; Uses fake celebrity endorsements or testimonials.14 |
| Job Scam | “Easy work-from-home job with high pay. We’ll send you a check to buy equipment; just send the extra back to us.” | Sends you a check and asks you to wire money back (the check will be fake); Asks you to pay for training or equipment; The interview process is rushed or non-existent.7 |
My personal tragedy fit neatly into the first row.
Seeing the patterns laid out so clearly was both validating and infuriating.
These weren’t isolated incidents of bad luck; they were a systemic assault on the public, executed with cold, calculated precision.
My initial feeling of personal failure began to transform into a broader sense of civic outrage.
My individual problem was, in fact, a massive societal one.
And a problem of that scale required a solution of equal or greater magnitude.
Part II: A Pilgrimage to the Apex
My search for that solution led me, both figuratively and literally, to a single address: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, d+.C..5
This is the headquarters of the Federal Trade Commission.
In my mind, it was the epicenter, the place where the fight against the forces that had upended my life was being waged.
I needed to see it, to understand it not as an abstract government entity, but as a physical place with a history and a purpose.
The building itself is a statement.
It occupies a prominent triangular plot at the easternmost point of the Federal Triangle, the monumental core of government buildings between the White House and the Capitol.
For this reason, it was originally known as the “Apex Building”.18
Designed by architect Edward H.
Bennett and completed in 1938, its architectural style is Classical Revival, a choice that was deeply intentional.18
Constructed during the tail end of the Great Depression, a period of profound economic chaos and public distrust, the building was meant to project the very qualities the nation craved: dignity, stability, and enduring order.18
Its clean lines, Indiana limestone facade, and imposing colonnades speak a language of rational control and democratic permanence, a direct architectural counterpoint to the wild, unpredictable forces of an unregulated market.
When President Franklin Delano Roosevelt laid the cornerstone in 1937, he used the same silver trowel George Washington had used for the U.S. Capitol.
In his speech, Roosevelt expressed his hope that the building would “stand for all time as a symbol of the purpose of the government to insist on a greater application of the golden rule to the conduct of corporation and business”.18
This history gave the stone and granite a soul.
The FTC was established in 1914 under President Woodrow Wilson with a clear mandate: to be a trust-buster, an agency dedicated to preventing the “unfair methods of competition” that allowed powerful monopolies to crush smaller rivals and exploit the public.19
Its very DNA was about taming unchecked economic power.
But it was the art that triggered my first real epiphany.
Flanking the building’s eastern prow, at the very tip of the triangle, are two massive, nearly identical allegorical sculptures.
Designed by Michael Lantz in the powerful Art Deco style, each sculpture is titled “Man Controlling Trade”.18
They depict a muscular, heroic man straining with all his might to rein in a powerful, rearing stallion.
The horse is wild, its energy untamed—a perfect symbol for the raw, chaotic, and amoral power of commerce.
The man, resolute and strong, represents the government’s role as the enforcer, the entity that brings that power under control, directing it for the public good.18
Standing there on the pavement, looking up at those sculptures, something clicked.
I had come looking for a police precinct to hunt down the thief who had robbed me.
I was looking for someone to chase one runaway horse.
But the sculptures told a different story.
The mission wasn’t about chasing individual runaway horses after they’d bolted from the stable.
The mission was to be the man holding the reins—to manage the entire system, to control the herd, and to prevent the stampede in the first place.
I was beginning to understand that I had been asking the wrong question.
I shouldn’t have been asking, “Who can solve my case?” I should have been asking, “Who is in charge of controlling trade?” The answer was right in front of me, carved in stone.
Part III: The Epiphany: The FTC as the CDC for Economic Health
That moment in front of the “Man Controlling Trade” sculptures was the spark.
The full, clarifying blaze of understanding came later, after hours spent digging through the FTC’s own websites and reports.
I realized my fundamental mistake.
I had been thinking of the FTC as a police department for the marketplace.
But it’s not.
The FTC is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for our economic health.
This analogy became the key that unlocked everything.
It explained the agency’s structure, its mission, and my role as a citizen within its ecosystem.
It transformed my perspective from one of helpless victimhood to one of empowered participation.
Here is how the analogy works:
- An Individual Scam Is a Disease Case: The scam that targeted me was not just a crime; it was like a single case of a new, virulent flu. It was a symptom of a larger public health threat.
- A Fraud Report Is a Doctor’s Field Report: When I finally went to the FTC’s website, ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and filed my complaint, I wasn’t just asking for personal help. I was acting like a field doctor sending a report to the CDC. My report, with all its details—the scammer’s story, the phone number they used, the payment method they demanded—was a vital piece of data on an emerging pathogen.9 The FTC makes it clear that it cannot resolve individual reports.21 This is frustrating if you think they are the police, but it makes perfect sense if you understand they are epidemiologists. The CDC doesn’t treat your personal case of the flu, but it desperately needs your doctor’s report to track the outbreak.
- The Consumer Sentinel Network Is the Epidemiological Database: My report didn’t go into a black hole. It flowed directly into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database that contains millions of such reports.21 This database is the FTC’s nerve center for disease surveillance. It is accessible to more than 2,800 federal, state, and local law enforcement partners across the country.21 It’s where they connect the dots, identifying the patterns that signal a widespread outbreak.
- Data Analysis Is Spotting the Outbreak: By analyzing the data in Sentinel, the FTC can spot trends in real-time. They can see a sudden spike in job scams targeting college students, a new wave of government impersonators using a particular script, or the rise of scams leveraging AI-generated voices.10 This is epidemiology in action: tracking the spread of the “disease” through the population.
- Consumer Alerts Are Public Health Advisories: Once the FTC identifies an outbreak, it issues public health warnings. These take the form of consumer alerts, blog posts, and social media campaigns that educate the public on how to recognize and avoid the latest threat.24 This is the public health campaign, teaching people to “wash their hands” and recognize the symptoms of infection.
- Enforcement and Rulemaking Are the Cures and Vaccines: The FTC doesn’t just warn; it intervenes. Its law enforcement actions are the “cures”—they go to court to shut down entire fraudulent operations, freeze their assets, and get money back for victims.27 These actions can halt a scam that has affected thousands. And even more powerfully, the FTC engages in rulemaking, which is like developing a “vaccine.” When they created a rule to ban most non-compete clauses or a new rule to penalize companies for using fake reviews, they were creating systemic protections that prevent entire categories of economic harm from occurring in the first place.29
This new framework was revolutionary for me.
The act of filing my report was no longer a desperate, futile cry for help.
It was an act of civic duty.
It was my contribution to a collective intelligence system designed to protect everyone.
I wasn’t going to get my money back from the FTC directly, but my story, combined with thousands of others, could arm the agency to take down the entire network that spawned my scammer.
My helplessness was replaced by a sense of purpose.
I was no longer just a victim; I was a sentinel.
Part IV: The Two Arms of the Guardian
With the “CDC for the Economy” framework in mind, the “Man Controlling Trade” sculpture took on an even deeper meaning.
The man’s two powerful arms, both straining to control the wild horse of commerce, represented the FTC’s two core missions, carried out by its two main bureaus.
One arm acts as a shield, directly protecting the public from harm.
The other acts as a sword, ensuring the marketplace itself is fair and healthy.
These are the Bureau of Consumer Protection and the Bureau of Competition, and they are two sides of the same coin.5
A competitive market is a natural defense against consumer abuse, and strong consumer protection prevents companies from using deception to compete unfairly.
The Shield: The Bureau of Consumer Protection
This is the arm of the guardian that fights the “pathogens” of fraud and deception directly.
Its mission is to enforce laws against “unfair or deceptive acts or practices” that harm the public.5
The Bureau’s work is vast and touches nearly every corner of the economy.
One of its most visible roles is policing deceptive advertising.
Federal law requires that advertisements be truthful, not misleading, and backed by evidence, especially when it comes to claims about health, safety, or finances.27
The FTC has a long history of challenging companies that make unsupported claims.
For example, it took action against Reebok, securing $25 million in refunds for customers who bought toning shoes based on deceptive advertising, and against the makers of Nivea My Silhouette! cream for falsely claiming the product could reduce users’ body size.33
These actions ensure that consumers can trust the claims they see and that companies compete based on the actual merits of their products, not on their ability to mislead.
More directly related to my own experience, the Bureau is on the front lines of cracking down on scams.
It pursues legal action in federal court to halt massive fraudulent operations.
In one recent case, the FTC stopped a debt-relief scheme called “Accelerated Debt” that impersonated banks and government agencies to defraud consumers, many of them seniors and veterans, out of an estimated $100 million.28
In another, it shut down an e-commerce business opportunity scam that lured people with false promises of earning “million-dollar” profits from online stores the defendants would run for them, costing most consumers tens of thousands of dollars.23
Through these enforcement actions, the FTC has been able to return billions of dollars to harmed consumers over the years, from victims of credit-repair schemes to those who paid phantom debt collectors.29
The Bureau is also constantly adapting to regulate the digital world.
It has taken action against companies selling “stalkerware” apps, developed new rules to combat fake online reviews and testimonials, and brought landmark cases to protect consumer data privacy from misuse by tech companies and data brokers.30
The Sword: The Bureau of Competition
If the Bureau of Consumer Protection fights the diseases, the Bureau of Competition works to ensure the environment is clean, healthy, and resistant to outbreaks.
Its mission is to enforce antitrust laws and prevent “unfair methods of competition”.20
This work is essential because a lack of competition gives dominant companies more power to raise prices, reduce quality, and abuse consumers and small businesses.
A major function of this bureau is challenging anticompetitive mergers.
The FTC reviews thousands of proposed mergers each year to determine if a deal is likely to harm competition.
For example, it has recently taken action to block or modify major mergers in sectors ranging from groceries (Kroger/Albertsons) to energy (Exxon/Pioneer), arguing that these deals could lead to higher prices for consumers and less innovation in the market.36
Crucially, the Bureau of Competition’s work is also about fighting for small businesses and workers.
This is a part of the FTC’s mission that often goes unnoticed but is fundamental to a fair economy.
The agency has reinvigorated enforcement of the Robinson-Patman Act, a law prohibiting price discrimination, by suing Southern Glazer’s, the nation’s largest liquor distributor, for allegedly giving preferential pricing to large chain retailers at the expense of smaller, independent stores.29
This kind of action helps level the playing field so small businesses have a fair shot at competing.
Perhaps one of the most impactful recent actions was the FTC’s rule to ban most non-compete agreements.29
The agency found that these clauses, which restrict workers from taking jobs with rival companies, suppress wages, stifle innovation, and harm competition in the labor market.
The FTC estimated its ban would increase the average American worker’s wages by over $500 a year and lead to the creation of thousands of new patents.29
This single action demonstrates the profound connection between competition policy and the everyday financial health of American families.
By ensuring companies must compete for labor, the FTC empowers workers and strengthens the entire economy.
To clarify how these functions are organized, the table below outlines the FTC’s primary components.
| Bureau/Office | Core Mission/Function |
| Bureau of Consumer Protection | Enforces consumer protection laws against fraud, deception, and unfair practices. Manages the Consumer Sentinel Network and consumer education initiatives.5 |
| Bureau of Competition | Enforces antitrust laws to prevent anticompetitive mergers, monopolies, and other conduct that harms competition.19 |
| Bureau of Economics | Provides expert economic analysis and support for the FTC’s investigations, litigation, and policy work.19 |
| Office of the Inspector General (OIG) | An independent office that investigates allegations of waste, fraud, and abuse within the FTC itself, ensuring the agency maintains its own integrity.16 |
Understanding this structure reveals a holistic strategy.
The FTC doesn’t see consumer protection and competition as separate issues.
It understands that a marketplace rife with deception is not a competitive one, and a market dominated by a few powerful players is one where consumers are more likely to be harmed.
The two arms of the guardian work in concert, shielding the public while ensuring the ground they stand on is solid and fair.
Part V: Your Field Guide to the Fight
My journey from victim to advocate culminated in this understanding: while the FTC operates on a systemic level, our individual actions are the fuel for its engine.
We are not powerless.
We are the eyes and ears of the collective defense system.
This final section is the field guide I wish I’d had in the frantic moments after that phone call—a practical, step-by-step plan for what to do when you encounter a scam.
Step 1: The Immediate Aftermath – Triage Your Wounds
If you realize you’ve been scammed, the first 24 hours are critical.
Your immediate actions depend entirely on how you paid the scammer.
Time is of the essence.
- If You Paid by Credit or Debit Card: This is the most protected form of payment. Immediately call the phone number on the back of your card. Tell the representative you want to dispute a charge or report a fraudulent transaction. This is also known as a “chargeback.” Follow up with a letter or email to the address listed for billing disputes to protect your rights.9
- If You Paid by Wire Transfer: Contact the wire transfer company—like MoneyGram (1-800-666-3947) or Western Union (1-800-325-6000)—immediately. Report the fraud and ask them to reverse the transfer. Reversal is unlikely but it’s crucial to ask and create a record.9
- If You Paid with a Gift Card: This is one of the toughest situations, as gift cards are like cash. Contact the company that issued the card (e.g., Apple, Google Play, Target) right away. Tell them the card was used in a scam and ask if they can refund the money. Keep the gift card itself and your receipt, as they may be needed.9
- If You Gave Personal Information: If you believe a scammer has your Social Security number, bank account details, or other sensitive information, your primary concern is identity theft. Go immediately to IdentityTheft.gov. This is the federal government’s one-stop resource, run by the FTC, which will provide you with a personalized recovery plan to secure your accounts, place fraud alerts, and repair any damage.9
Step 2: Join the Surveillance Network – File Your Report
Once you have done what you can to staunch the bleeding, your next step is to report the crime.
This is your most powerful act of public service.
- Why It Matters: Remember the CDC analogy. Your report is a piece of intelligence. It helps law enforcement spot trends, identify criminals, and build cases to shut down entire operations, protecting countless others from becoming victims.21
- How to Do It: Go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov. This is the federal government’s central website for reporting fraud. The process is straightforward. You should report even if you didn’t lose any money, and even if you’re not 100% sure it was a scam. When in doubt, report it.9 If the issue is identity theft, IdentityTheft.gov will guide you through the reporting process as part of your recovery plan.43
- Where Else to Report: It is also a good idea to file a report with your state’s Attorney General’s office. Many state and local agencies work closely with the FTC and use the Consumer Sentinel Network, so your report adds to the collective knowledge base.21
Step 3: Get Vaccinated – Proactive Defense
The best way to fight a scam is to avoid it in the first place.
The FTC provides numerous free resources to help you build up your immunity.
- Stay Informed: Sign up for the FTC’s free Consumer Alerts via email. These will keep you up-to-date on the latest scams and provide timely advice.24
- Reduce Unwanted Calls: Add your phone number to the National Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov. While it won’t stop illegal scam calls, it will reduce the number of legitimate telemarketing calls you receive.44
- Learn the Universal Warning Signs: Burn the key red flags into your memory. A legitimate organization will never pressure you to act immediately. They will never demand payment via gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. And most importantly, a real government agency like the FTC or IRS will never call, text, or email you to threaten you or demand money.9 If you see any of these signs, hang up. It’s a scam.
To make this as clear as possible, here is a simple emergency action plan.
| Your Post-Scam Emergency Action Plan | |||
| If You Paid With: | Credit / Debit Card | Wire Transfer | Gift Card |
| Immediate Action: | Call your card company. Say: “I want to dispute a charge.” | Call the wire transfer company. Say: “I need to report fraud and reverse a transfer.” | Call the gift card company. Say: “This card was used in a scam. Can you refund the money?” |
| Key Contact Info: | Phone number on the back of your card. | MoneyGram: 1-800-666-3947 Western Union: 1-800-325-6000 | Contact info on the back of the card or company website. |
| Universal Next Step (For All Scenarios): | File a detailed report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov |
Conclusion: From Victim to Advocate
My journey began in a state of shock and shame, as an isolated victim of a crime that felt both personal and impossibly vast.
I lost money, yes, but more profoundly, I lost my sense of security and trust.
That painful experience, however, became the catalyst for an unexpected education.
My search for answers led me from the depths of personal helplessness to the steps of a stone building on Pennsylvania Avenue, a physical symbol of order in a chaotic world.
There, I discovered that the true power of the Federal Trade Commission lies not in solving individual crimes, but in its role as a systemic guardian of our economic health.
The epiphany that the FTC operates like a public health agency—collecting data, spotting trends, and deploying large-scale interventions—fundamentally changed my perspective.
I learned that my role was not to be a passive victim waiting for rescue, but an active participant in a collective defense.
I never got my money back.
But I recovered something far more valuable: my sense of agency.
I am no longer defined by the moment I was deceived.
I am defined by what I did next.
I learned the anatomy of the fraud, I understood the institution built to fight it, and I took my place in the network of sentinels who report what they see.
The men and women who work inside 600 Pennsylvania Avenue are the quiet guardians of the marketplace.
They are the “Man Controlling Trade,” working to rein in the wild forces of deception and unfair competition.
But they cannot do it alone.
They rely on us—on our willingness to overcome the stigma of being scammed and to share our stories.
Every report filed at ReportFraud.FTC.gov is a small act of defiance, a contribution to a library of intelligence that makes us all safer.
It transforms a personal loss into a public good.
My journey taught me that we are not helpless.
By understanding the system and our role within it, we can all become advocates, turning our vulnerability into a collective strength and ensuring that the watchtowers on Pennsylvania Avenue have the vision they need to protect us all.
Works cited
- 6 Tales of Real-Life Scams – AARP, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/the-perfect-scam-stories/
- Exposed to Scams: Scam Stories – FINRA Investor Education Foundation, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.finrafoundation.org/exposed-scams-scam-stories
- My Mom’s Experience With Romance Scams Taught Me About Blame | TIME, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://time.com/7199745/romance-scams-victims-blame-essay/
- Testimony of Amy Nofziger Director of Fraud Victim Support AARP Fraud Watch Network on Protecting Americans’ Money – Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.banking.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/nofziger_testimony_9-12-24.pdf
- FTC Headquarters (600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW) | Federal Trade Commission, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/locations/ftc-headquarters-600-pennsylvania-ave-nw
- Recognizing Scams | Federal Trade Commission OIG, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://oig.ftc.gov/ftc-imposter-scams
- Phone Scams | Consumer Advice, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/phone-scams
- Fraud Affects Every Community: Family Emergency Scams – Updated with ReportFraud.ftc.gov – YouTube, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QheVhu3VsiY
- FAQs – ReportFraud.ftc.gov – Federal Trade Commission, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/faq
- New FTC Data Show a Big Jump in Reported Losses to Fraud to $12.5 Billion in 2024, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/03/new-ftc-data-show-big-jump-reported-losses-fraud-125-billion-2024
- Signs of a debt relief scam | Consumer Advice, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2017/06/signs-debt-relief-scam
- What You Should Know About Debt Relief Scams – AARP, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/debt-relief/
- Scams | Consumer Advice – Federal Trade Commission, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://consumer.ftc.gov/scams
- Investment scam: I lost $50000 in fake online trading – Scamwatch, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/protect-yourself/real-life-stories/scam-victims-tell-us-their-stories/investment-scam-i-lost-50000-in-fake-online-trading
- Top scams of 2024 | Consumer Advice, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2025/03/top-scams-2024
- Federal Trade Commission | Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.ignet.gov/content/federal-trade-commission
- United States Federal Trade Commission – 211 Mid-York, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://211midyork.org/detail.php?id=31257923
- Federal Trade Commission Building, Washington, DC | GSA, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.gsa.gov/real-estate/historic-preservation/explore-historic-buildings/find-a-building/federal-trade-commission-building-washington-dc
- Federal Trade Commission – Agency, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.usgovernmentmanual.gov/Agency?EntityId=COjTKcMuGi4=&ParentEId=+klubNxgV0o=&EType=jY3M4CTKVHY=
- About the FTC | Federal Trade Commission, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc
- Frequently Asked Questions – ReportFraud.ftc.gov – FAQ, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/faq/faq-topic/3
- ReportFraud.ftc.gov – Federal Trade Commission, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/
- FTC Action Stops Business Opportunity Scheme That Promised Its AI-Boosted Tools Would Power High Earnings Through Online Stores, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/08/ftc-action-stops-business-opportunity-scheme-promised-its-ai-boosted-tools-would-power-high-earnings
- Consumer Blog, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-blog
- Browse By Topic | Consumer Advice, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://consumer.ftc.gov/blog/be
- Federal Trade Commission: Consumer Advice, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://consumer.ftc.gov/
- Truth In Advertising – Federal Trade Commission, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/topics/truth-advertising
- FTC Action Leads to Court Order Halting Phantom Debt Collection Scheme That Took Millions from Consumers and Threatened Consumers’ Credit, Homes, and Employment, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/03/ftc-action-leads-court-order-halting-phantom-debt-collection-scheme-took-millions-consumers
- FTC Releases Summary of Key Accomplishments | Federal Trade Commission, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/01/ftc-releases-summary-key-accomplishments
- The Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule: Questions and Answers | Federal Trade Commission, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/consumer-reviews-testimonials-rule-questions-answers
- Factsheet: The FTC–For the First Time in Decades–Held Corporate America Accountable to Protect Small Businesses, Workers, and Consumers, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.economicliberties.us/our-work/factsheet-the-ftc-is-holding-corporate-actors-accountable-protecting-small-businesses-workers-and-consumers-2/
- New FTC Regulations on Advertising that Small Business Owners Should Know About, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://thelegalpaige.com/blogs/blog/new-ftc-regulations-on-advertising-that-small-business-owners-should-know-about
- Challenging Deceptive Advertising and Marketing | Federal Trade Commission, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.ftc.gov/reports/annual-report-standard/ftc-2012/challenging-deceptive-advertising-and-marketing
- FTC Halts Illegal Debt-Relief Operation that Falsely Impersonated Businesses and the Government, Harming Consumers, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/07/ftc-halts-illegal-debt-relief-operation-falsely-impersonated-businesses-government-harming-consumers
- FTC Action Against E-Commerce Business Opportunity Scam Results in Permanent Bans for Owner and his Companies, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/07/ftc-action-against-e-commerce-business-opportunity-scam-results-permanent-bans-owner-his-companies
- Press Releases 2024 – Federal Trade Commission, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024
- Press Releases | Federal Trade Commission, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases
- Privacy and Security Enforcement | Federal Trade Commission, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/topics/protecting-consumer-privacy-security/privacy-security-enforcement
- Anticompetitive Practices | Federal Trade Commission, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/anticompetitive-practices
- Commission Actions, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/commission-actions
- Protecting Small Business | Federal Trade Commission, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection/small-business
- Reporting Fraud, Waste, Abuse, or Mismanagement | Federal Trade Commission OIG, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://oig.ftc.gov/reporting-fraud-waste-abuse-or-mismanagement
- IdentityTheft.gov, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.identitytheft.gov/
- Fraud and scams | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, accessed on July 23, 2025, https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/fraud/
