$1.5 trillion lost to consumer fraud annually. 56M complaints filed in 2024.
Defective products? False ads? Warranty denials? You have powerful legal weapons.
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Product breaks or fails shortly after purchase? Manufacturer warranty or implied warranty protections may apply
Wrong item shipped, quality not as described, seller won't refund, or items never arrived
Amazon, eBay, Etsy, or other platforms refusing legitimate refunds for defective goods
Free trial converted to paid without clear consent, hard to cancel, or recurring charges after cancellation
Phishing, fake websites, counterfeit products, or payment fraud affecting your accounts
UPS, FedEx, DHL lost your package or delivered it damaged. Seller or carrier liability issues
Event cancelled, postponed, or you're denied entry. Ticketmaster, StubHub, or venue refusing refunds
Join class actions against major retailers for data breaches, false advertising, or service failures
Martha from Sarasota lost $445,000. She's 72. The scammer called claiming her grandson was in a Mexican jail after a car accident. "Don't tell his parents," the voice said. "They'll be devastated." She drove to three banks, withdrew everything. The real grandson? Playing golf in Tampa. Martha is part of an eight-fold spike in six-figure scams targeting seniors. The FTC's 2024 data: $12.5 billion gone. Not stolen. Gone. Vanished into cryptocurrency wallets, wire transfers to Nigeria, gift cards to Mumbai call centers.
Investment scams alone jumped $1 billion yearly since 2022. The playbook never changes, just the technology. Remember when Nigerian princes needed your help? Now it's cryptocurrency mining operations in Kazakhstan promising 300% returns. Telegram groups with 50,000 members sharing "insider tips." WhatsApp messages from "Elon Musk" about the next big coin. People mortgaged houses. Emptied 401(k)s. One Chicago teacher invested her mother's life insurance payout into a fake trading platform. The website looked perfect—live charts, customer support, even a mobile app. All fake. $127,000 disappeared in six weeks.
$789 million lost to fake government agents in 2024 alone:
Florida leads the nation: 7.89 fraud reports per 1,000 residents. Georgia second at 6.54. Vermont safest at 2.47.
For the second straight year, email topped contact methods for fraud. Not robocalls. Not texts. Email. Why? Because that Amazon phishing email looks identical to the real thing. The PayPal "account suspended" notice has perfect grammar, correct logos, working links—except they lead to servers in Romania. One detail gives it away: hover over the sender's address. Amazon-security@gmx.de isn't Amazon.
Bank transfer scams hit $2 billion. Cryptocurrency: $1.4 billion. But here's the killer stat: only 38% of fraud reports involved actual money lost in 2024. That sounds good until you realize it jumped from 27% in 2023. Scammers got better at converting attempts into cash. Much better.
Change Healthcare breach: 100 million Americans' medical records exposed. AT&T: 73 million customers. Ticketmaster: 560 million. Each breach feeds the fraud machine. Your data gets packaged, sold on dark web forums for $3 per identity. Full credit profiles with SSN, DOB, mother's maiden name? $15. Medical records with insurance info? $250.
Credit card fraud reports jumped 51% in just six months of 2025. Not because criminals got smarter. Because they bought your card number for 50 cents from the Change Healthcare dump. The average victim discovers fraud 93 days later. By then, seven new credit cards opened, three personal loans approved, one car lease signed. All in your name.
That Facebook Marketplace listing for a $500 PS5? Seller has 47 five-star reviews. Profile created three weeks ago. Red flag ignored. Zelle payment sent. Radio silence. The Instagram ad for 70% off Ray-Bans? Site cloned from the real Ray-Ban page, one letter different in the URL. Credit card charged. Sunglasses never arrive. Chargeback denied—you "authorized" the transaction.
Puppy scams exploded. Adorable golden retriever puppies, $800 each, shipping included. Breeder needs payment via Cash App for "insurance." Then "special COVID crate." Then "airport fees." Average loss: $1,270. Number of puppies delivered: Zero. One victim in Ohio sent $3,400 over six transactions before realizing the shipping company didn't exist.
What the Identity Theft Resource Center warned about came true:
Romance scams hit different in 2024. Not just lonely hearts anymore. Professional women, successful men, people who "should know better." The scammer invests months. Daily texts, video calls (deepfaked faces), shared Netflix passwords. Then the crisis: medical emergency in Dubai, business deal gone wrong in Singapore, detained at customs in Istanbul. Average loss: $14,200. Highest single loss: $2.8 million from a San Francisco tech executive who thought he was dating a humanitarian worker in Syria.
The FTC recovered some money. Emphasis on "some." Western Union: $373 million refunded to victims. Amazon: $62 million for unauthorized charges. Sprint/T-Mobile: $13 million for cramming. Drops in an ocean. For every dollar recovered, fifty disappear forever.
Here's your defense: Paranoia. Every unexpected call is a scam until proven otherwise. Every urgent email is fake until verified independently. Every investment opportunity is fraud until you've researched the company, checked SEC filings, verified physical addresses. The IRS will never call you. Your grandson isn't in a Mexican jail. Microsoft doesn't phone about viruses. And that cryptocurrency doubling program? It's a Ponzi scheme. They always were. They always will be.
Prohibits "unfair or deceptive acts or practices" in commerce.
File complaint: FTC.gov/complaint (investigated by FTC, may lead to enforcement action)
Governs consumer product warranties over $15.
Remedy: Sue for damages + attorney's fees (makes these attractive to lawyers)
Bans dangerous products from sale. CPSC issues recalls.
Check your state's Attorney General website for specific lemon law
Send certified letter (template):
Even if you sue, file FTC complaint at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Three legal theories:
"Substantial defect" = impairs use, value, or safety (not minor issues like squeaky seat)
After 3-4 failed repairs, send certified letter:
Critical: Send to manufacturer's headquarters (address in owner's manual), NOT the dealer
Two options:
Report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
If many consumers were deceived, class action is powerful:
Recent wins: Red Bull $13M ("gives you wings" energy claims), Volkswagen $14.7B (diesel emissions), Theranos $40M (fake blood test tech)
Describe your consumer rights problem and we'll guide you to the right solution
Start by selecting your issue type or describe what happened
VW installed "defeat devices" to cheat emissions tests. 500K+ vehicle owners joined class action. Settlement: $14.7B including buybacks, repairs, $5K-$10K per owner. Largest auto settlement ever.
Keurig claimed K-Cups were recyclable, but most facilities couldn't process them. FTC investigation led to $1.5M penalty + stop selling in California + $10M in consumer refunds.
Buyer's Model S had persistent battery failures (4 repair attempts, 45 days out of service). Attorney filed lemon law claim. Tesla settled: Full refund of $85K purchase price minus $47K mileage = $38K net recovery.
Learn more about your consumer protections and how to fight back
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Consumer laws vary by jurisdiction, and every case is unique. Our AI will analyze your specific situation, identify applicable protections, and guide you through the complaint process.
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