FTC urges parents to talk with teens about credit and identity theft before school starts
The FTC says families can use the back-to-school period to discuss financial wellness with teens and points to free tools on money, credit, identity theft and scams.
The Federal Trade Commission says the back-to-school and college-prep season is a good time for parents to talk with teens about financial wellness, credit, identity theft and scams.
The agency says young people are often starting to manage money and credit on their own. It also says it offers free tools to help people learn how to manage money, build credit and protect against identity theft.
The FTC points readers to consumer.gov, which it says has tools to help kids prepare to manage money, handle credit, deal with debt as they get older and avoid scams.
The item is part of the FTC Consumer Alerts series and was published on Aug. 6, 2026. It is general guidance and does not describe an enforcement action, legal case or specific consumer complaint.
Because the brief contains only advisory guidance, the alert does not name any companies or individuals. It directs readers to free FTC resources and to consumer.gov for additional information.
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Editorial note: This article was prepared with AI assistance and includes source attribution for reader review.
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