A fake contest for a $1,000 Target gift card has been declared 2012's "Scam of the Year" by online complaint resolution platform Scambook. Most victims of this "smishing" con haven't lost any money - yet. But the bad news for those who fell for it is, the trouble has only just begun.
When it comes to upgrading your life for a new year, dispelling the clutter around you is a great place to start -- and it doesn't have to be an expensive process. If you're looking to face 2013 on a stronger financial and organizational footing, these five products are hard to beat for value.
Think you're on your own if you want your tax-related concerns heard in Washington? Well, you're not. Since 1979 there's been an official advocate who has the ear of Congress, regularly making a stink on taxpayers' behalf, aiming for a fairer, simpler, system.
A tip for identity thieves: When you buy a bunch of pricey merchandise with a stolen card number, make sure you don't ship the loot to your victims. That's evidently what happened to one Alaska couple. First their debit card was hacked to the tune of $5,000. Then, the packages began arriving.
As more consumers pick up their smartphones and tablets to go holiday shopping, cyber crooks are trying just about everything to dupe them out of their hard-earned money. To keep you protected, we asked an online security expert to list the season's hottest scams and how to avoid them.
When the IRS sends you an email that it owes you some cash, and all you need to do to collect it is click through to their website, it's naturally tempting. Don't bite: No matter how convincing that email is, you can rest assured that it's a scam.
In the past five years, 27.3 million Americans were victims of identity theft, says author and identity theft expert Steve Weisman. Here are his tips for keeping your identity protected from the con men, criminals and fraud artists.
When it comes to holiday shopping, there's one trend you can count on every year: Online sales will grow like gangbusters. But whether you're on a laptop, a tablet or a smartphone, it's important to remember that buying online carries extra risks of identity theft and fraud.
When a husband or wife dies, it's not just the emotional issues that can be overwhelming; the financial issues can be, too. Here are three important financial actions no widow or widower should delay taking -- and the answer to the pressing question in the headline above.
When you're traveling abroad, the last thing you might be worried about is whether your credit card will speak the native language, but because U.S. cards lack a certain key bit of technology, many times, they won't. But in some cases, that will soon be changing.
For $10, identity thieves can access the full name, Social Security number and other personal information of a dead person through a list of millions of deceased Americans, known as the Death Master File.
It's easy to feel like accessing your bank accounts via a smartphone must be risky. It could be stolen! Or hacked! But IT security experts say mobile banking is actually more secure than online banking from your computer.
As much as President Barack Obama wants your vote, he won't pay your electric bill. But thousands of Americans have been persuaded otherwise, falling victim to a scam that claims to be part of an federal program to help pay utility bills in the midst of this scorching summer.
That overstuffed wallet of yours is more than just a chore to lug around. If it's lost or stolen, all those extra cards, receipts and bank slips in it will make it much easier for a fraudster to hijack your identity. Here's what to purge:
While frequent data breaches may have desensitized some consumers to identity theft, it's still important to pay attention to early warning signs your info is being used illegally.