The Federal Trade Commission has released its annual report detailing consumer complaints about identity theft and listing the top 10 categories of fraud-related complaints filed with the FTC in 2004. For the fifth year in a row, identity theft topped the list of complaints, accounting for 39 percent of the 635,173 consumer fraud complaints filed with the agency last year.
Consumers can file fraud and identity theft complaints by going to the FTC’s Website. The FTC enters consumer complaints and complaints from other law enforcement and consumer protection agencies in its Consumer Sentinel database. The data is accessible to more than 1,200 law enforcement agencies across the country and in Canada and Australia. The information helps law enforcers coordinate actions, avoid duplication, spot trends, and leverage law enforcement assets.
“These are real people who have lost real money and the FTC offers them a direct link to finding a solution,” said Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras. “By filing complaints, consumers are one click away from thousands of law enforcement partners who can help restore their good name, protect their financial security, and give the FTC the information we need to stop fraud in its tracks.”
The top categories of consumer fraud complaints for 2004 include:
Other findings from the report include:
Protect Yourself from Identity Theft
Books on Identity Theft
"From Victim To Victor," by Mari J. Frank
A Step-by-step Guide For Ending The Nightmare Of Identity Theft
