Recognize an FTC Impersonator

Hackers target your email and social media accounts to steal your personal information. Like your username and password, bank or credit card account numbers, or Social Security number. If they get it, they use it to commit identity theft, spread malware, or scam other people. So, what are signs that someone hacked your account, and how can you recover a stolen account?

We recently shared advice to help you safeguard the personal information in your accounts, on your computer, and on your phone to protect it from identity theft. But scammers aren’t just after your data. They want your hard-earned cash, too. Here are some common scams to watch out for.

No one likes waiting in airport security lines. To speed things up, some people opt to get TSA PreCheck. Scammers know this and send emails that look like they're from TSA PreCheck — but they’re not. The emails want you to click a link that takes you to a scam website that only looks like the official site — but it’s not. If you pay to “enroll” or “renew” your TSA PreCheck, you may not even realize you’ve paid a scammer until you get to the airport for your next trip. But there are ways to spot these scams.