HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
FROM SCAMS & FRAUD
No-BS resources for the American consumer. Real government tools + my personal systems that saved me six figures. Vigilance is the ultimate wealth hack.
By Jaxon Forge
Founder, MoneyForged.com • 5 min read
Jaxon Forge, self-made capitalist who refuses to get scammed
I almost wired six figures to a “guaranteed” AI deal that turned out to be a recycled-money Ponzi. That night at 3 a.m. I ran the numbers cold and walked away. That single decision paid me more than my first $100k net worth ever did. High earners stay broke because they still chase “easy money.” Free markets reward the vigilant — and tariffs protect American builders from the foreign dumping schemes that flood our inbox with cheap fraud. Here’s the exact no-BS toolkit every American consumer needs in 2026.
The Go-To List: Real Solutions for the American Consumer
These are the only places I actually use and recommend. Bookmark them. Use them. No fluff, no paid “guru” courses.
FTC.gov – ReportFraud.ftc.gov
The single best place to report any scam. They track patterns and shut down operators fast. I file here within minutes of smelling anything off.
Report Now →CFPB.gov – Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Bank scams, credit card fraud, mortgage tricks, student loans. File a complaint and they force companies to respond. Saved friends thousands.
File a Complaint →Investor.gov (SEC) – Check Before You Invest
Search any advisor, broker, or “opportunity.” Free background checks + educational tools. I never invest until I run it here first.
Check Now →IC3.gov – FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
Crypto scams, romance scams, business email compromise. The FBI’s official portal. I used it after a fake vendor tried to wire $80k from me.
Submit Report →IdentityTheft.gov
One-stop recovery plan if your info is stolen. Credit freezes, IRS alerts, step-by-step recovery. I keep this bookmarked year-round.
Start Recovery Plan →IRS.gov – Tax Scams / Consumer Alerts
IRS never calls demanding instant payment. Official list of current scams. I check this every tax season before filing.
View Current Scams →My Personal System (The Discipline Tax in Action)
Every new “opportunity” gets the 3 a.m. test: I wake up early, no distractions, run the numbers cold. I only invest in what I can explain to a 12-year-old. I keep a $10k “Screw You Fund” in boring cash-flow assets. I never chase hype. Capitalism rewards the vigilant — free markets create opportunity precisely because scammers exist. That’s why I love tariffs: they protect American builders from foreign dumping schemes that masquerade as “cheap deals” while gutting our domestic wealth engine. Personal responsibility + smart policy = forged wealth that lasts.
Comfort masquerading as “balance” is still the real enemy. Scams just exploit it faster. Pay the Discipline Tax early or pay it forever.
Stop feeding the scammers. Start forging real wealth.
Download my free “7 Pathways to Financial Prosperity” and join the men who actually build instead of chase.
Get the Free 7 Pathways PDF →Stories and advice from Jaxon Forge, founder of MoneyForged.com • Follow the grind @MoneyForgedHQ on X