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Consumer Fraud Complaints by Category, 2008

Learn the top 20 consumer fraud complaints as of 2008. Identity theft tops the list, with 26% of all fraud compaints, filed by 1,223,370 people that year. Protect yourself from identity theft by reading our guides, Catching the Facts on Identity Theft and Stolen Identity: A Consumer Nightmare. Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you suspect you are a victim of identity theft, or any other fraudulant action, visit the consumer protection division of the Federal Trade Commission.

	Number of complaints	Percent of total
Identity theft	313,982	26
Third party and creditor debt collection	104,642	9
Shop-at-home and catalog sales	52,615	4
Internet services	52,102	4
Foreign money offers and counterfeit check scams	38,505	3
Credit bureaus, information furnishers and report users	34,940	3
Prizes, sweepstakes and lotteries	33,340	3
Television and electronic media	25,930	2
Banks and lenders	22,890	2
Telecom equipment and mobile services	22,387	2
Computer equipment and software	21,442	2
Business opportunities, employment agencies and work-at-home	20,286	2
Internet auction	17,294	1
Advance-fee loans and credit protection/repair	17,263	1
Health care	16,275	1
Auto related complaints	14,278	1
Travel, vacations and timeshare plans	13,200	1
Credit cards	13,196	1
Magazines and buyers clubs	10,188	1
Telephone services	9,300	1