Consumer Issues Affecting American Indian and Alaska Native Communities

Scammers and dishonest businesses can target people in unique ways, so it’s important to understand how communities are affected — and at times, differently affected — by consumer protection issues.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a report to Congress about consumer issues affecting American Indian and Alaska Native communities. The report focuses on the agency’s recent efforts to identify frauds, scams, and bad business practices that impact Native communities. The report detailed the FTC’s enforcement, outreach, and education initiatives on these issues, as well as data analysis.

FTC data show that government impersonation and price, sweepstakes, and lottery scams were most frequently reported. The report also summarized conversations with members of Native communities about consumer issues. The report recommended expanding partnerships with these communities, tribal leaders, and advocates to inform the FTC’s efforts.