About usaBob
usaBob is a free website that helps people anywhere in the U.S. with the moment they get a scary call, text, letter, or bill: Is it real? What do I do right now? Where can I get free, official help?
What we do
- Explain things in plain English, with big type and no jargon. When we have to use an acronym, we spell it out.
- Give you clear steps for right now, and how to report a problem.
- Link every specific fact to where it came from, usually a government agency such as the FTC, FCC, IRS, Social Security, CMS, CFPB, or CISA, and show when we last checked it.
- Offer printable checklists and general template letters you can copy.
What we are not
- usaBob is not a government agency, law firm, lender, insurance agency, or medical provider, and does not give legal, financial, insurance, or medical advice.
- We can’t investigate scams or get money back. Only your bank, the payment company, and law enforcement can do that, and reporting to them is free.
- We don’t sell your information. The site has no ads, advertising trackers, or tracking cookies. We count visits with cookieless Cloudflare Web Analytics (see our privacy policy).
- We don’t pick, recommend, or get paid to refer you to any specific professional.
Who’s behind it
usaBob is run by Jason Froehling in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The guides are written for people anywhere in the United States, all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Where rules differ by state, we point you to official state sources.
usaBob started with guides for families helping aging parents. Those are still here, in Helping aging parents.
How usaBob plans to pay for itself
The guides will stay free. In the future, usaBob plans to pay for itself in three ways, each clearly labeled:
- Display ads, marked as ads.
- Affiliate links for everyday products, with a note right next to each link saying usaBob may earn a commission. No affiliate links for anything Medicare or Medicaid pays for.
- Possibly flat-fee directory or advertising listings for professionals, marked as paid. A listing is an ad, not a recommendation.
usaBob will not take referral fees from mortgage or reverse-mortgage lenders, will not sell Medicare plan leads, and will not take per-referral fees from lawyers. Advertisers never get to change what our guides say. Right now there are no ads, affiliate links, or paid listings.
Need a person to talk to? See our list of free, official ways to find help near you.