FTC Releases Top Complaint Categories for 2011

The Federal Trade Commission has released its list of top consumer complaints received by the agency in 2011. For the 12th year in a row, identity theft complaints topped the list. Of more than 1.8 million complaints filed in 2011, 279,156 or 15 percent, were identity theft complaints. Nearly 25 percent of the identity theft complaints related to tax- or wage-related fraud.
The next nine complaint categories are:

 NumberPercent

Debt Collection Complaints

180,928

10 percent

Prizes, Sweepstakes, and Lotteries

100,208

6 percent

Shop-at-Home and Catalog Sales

98,306

5 percent

Banks and Lenders

89,341

5 percent

Internet Services

81,805

5 percent

Auto Related Complaints

77,435

4 percent

Imposter Scams

73,281

4 percent

Telephone and Mobile Services

70,024

4 percent

Advance-Fee Loans and Credit Protection/Repair

47,414

3 percent

TAKE AWAY:  Marketers who offer goods and services in the top categories should be sure to review their marketing and compliance processes as such categories may be subject to increased government scrutiny.

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