The FTC announced its top 10 consumer complaints for 2013 today. Of the more than 2 million consumer complaints received…
- Identity theft leads the field, with 14 percent of total complaints filed. Thirty percent of those were tax- or wage-related, which continues to be the largest category within identity theft complaints.
- Coming in at a close second: Debt collection, with 10 percent.
- Completing the trifecta: Banks and lenders, with 7 percent.
- Rounding out the field: Imposter scams; telephone and mobile services; prizes, sweepstakes, and lotteries; auto related complaints; shop-at-home and catalog sales; television and electronic media; and advance payment for credit services.
The good news: Millions of consumers are beating the scammers. That’s because complaints matter at the FTC. If a business doesn't deliver on its promises, if someone cheats you out of your money, or if you've spotted a scam, you’ve been telling it to the FTC. Your complaints help us stop rip-off artists, scammers, and fraudsters. The FTC’s aggressive law enforcement efforts put the bad guys out of business, and our vigorous consumer education campaigns empower people just like you to make well-informed buying decisions and recognize frauds and scams.
