Autumn 2019
Volume 12 | Issue 4
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A Simpler Sentinel

There is big autumn energy here at the FTC as the Sentinel Team works on creating a streamlined version of Sentinel for users who want a simpler experience and more guidance on how to activate the various search and spotlight tools.  If you are interested in this project, please let us know at sentinel@ftc.gov.  We are looking for volunteers’ feedback to achieve these goals.

In the Spotlight

Lots of people fall for scams. Is it any different for Millennials?  That’s what the FTC explores in its new Data Spotlight: Not what you think: Millennials and fraud. 

According to the Data Spotlight, Millennials are 25% more likely to report losing money to fraud than other adults (age 40 and over), and much more likely to tell us they lost money on certain types of fraud. Online shopping frauds stand out – Millennials are twice as likely to report losing money on items that are never delivered or not as advertised. They’re also far more likely to report losses on frauds promising ways to make money or fixes for debt-related problems.   

Scams and Older Consumers

The FTC recently sent a report to Congress called Protecting Older Consumers 2018-2019. The report suggests steps to help protect older consumers from fraud.  There are also some surprising findings in this year’s report.  For example, consumers 60 and older report losing money to scams less often than younger adults, but when they do lose money, they report higher individual losses.  Below is our new Age and Fraud Infographic (also accessible at ftc.gov/exploredata). Powered by Consumer Sentinel data, the infographic shows how fraud affects different age groups, top payment methods, and top contact methods. 

FTC Releases Results of 2017 Mass-Market Consumer Fraud Survey

The Federal Trade Commission has released the results of a comprehensive survey conducted in 2017 that examined the prevalence of mass-market consumer fraud, how it is perpetrated, and the factors associated with a greater likelihood that a consumer may fall victim to fraud. The survey results show that 15.9% of the respondents were victims of fraud in 2017, which represents approximately 40 million U.S. adults.  

FTC Releases FY19 National Do Not Call Registry Data Book

In October, the FTC issued the National Do Not Call Registry Data Book for Fiscal Year 2019. The FTC’s National Do Not Call Registry lets consumers choose not to receive most legal telemarketing calls. The data shows that impostor calls topped the list of complaint categories in the past year.

Sentinel Training

The last 2019 online Sentinel training session is Thursday, December 5^th at noon EST and will cover Sentinel in about an hour.  Simply email sentinel@ftc.gov to register.

FTC Refund Scams

Sometimes the FTC is able to get people all their money back.  Scammers try to cause confusion and take advantage at every step, sometimes pretending to be the FTC.  Here’s how a consumer can tell if an FTC refund is the real deal.

PrivacyCon 2020

Interested in consumer privacy?  Mark your calendar for July 21, 2020, and attend the FTC’s fifth annual gathering of leading privacy researchers. Also, check out our call for presentations to see if PrivacyCon would be a good forum for your recent research.

FTC Tips for Happy Holiday Shopping

Consumers can keep holiday shopping merry and bright with an early gift from the Federal Trade Commission: tips to help consumers watch their wallets, shop wisely, and protect their personal information.