For the 11th consecutive year, identity theft topped the Federal Trade Commission’s annual list of consumer complaints. Credit cards ranked 10th in 2010, according to the FTC, which released the list March 8.
The report breaks out complaint data on a state-by-state basis and also contains data about the 50 metropolitan areas reporting the highest per capita incidence of fraud and other complaints. In addition, the 50 metropolitan areas reporting the highest incidence of identity theft are noted.
The top consumer complaints were identity theft, 250,854; debt collection, 144,159; internet services, 65,565; prizes, sweepstakes and lotteries, 64,085; shop-at-home and catalog sales, 60,205; imposter scams, 60,158; Internet auctions, 56,107; foreign money/counterfeit check scams, 43,866; telephone and mobile services, 37,388; and credit cards, 33,258.
For the first time, “imposter scams,” in which imposters pose as friends, family, respected companies or government agencies to get consumers to send them money, made the top 10. The FTC also has issued a new consumer alert, “Spotting an Imposter”, to help consumers avoid imposter scams.
Among the warning signs are when crooks want someone to wire money, to pay to collect winnings or to “act now,” or when they claim to be with a government agency or to be someone you care about, according to the FTC.
What do you think about this? Send us your feedback.
