Consumer fraud complaints have increased 29 percent in the territory served by the Better Business Bureau of northern Colorado and greater Wyoming, according to Pam King, BBB president/CEO. This statistic is borne out in the Consumer Sentinel Data Book recently released by the Federal Trade Commission.
In 2008, Colorado consumers made 17,755 fraud complaints and Wyoming residents filed 1,397 complaints. During the same time frame, Colorado ranked 10th for ID theft complaints, with 4,893, and Wyoming came in 49th with just 250 ID theft complaints.
Nationwide, the FTC logged more than 1.2 million complaints between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2008, up from just over 1 million in 2007.
King credits much of the increase in complaints to greater awareness by consumers on how to file a complaint through the BBB and other consumer organizations. Last year the BBB forwarded 776 complaints on to the FTC.
In addition to identity theft, complaints throughout the state include those for third party and creditor debt collection, Internet services, shop-at-home and catalog sales and foreign money offers and counterfeit check scams.
Nationwide, the FTC logged more than 1.2 million complaints between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2008, up from just over 1 million in 2007.
Other findings from the FTC report include:
- Consumers reported fraud losses totaling more than $1.8 billion; the median monetary loss was $440.
- Credit cards, wire transfer and bank account debit were the top three methods of payment in which consumers lost money.
- E-mail is the most common method by which complainants were contacted, followed by mail and Internet Web sites.
Start With Trust. For information on how to file a consumer complaint, visit
www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov, 1-877-FTC-HELP, and for consumer information, tips and alerts as well as to file a complaint, visit
wynco.bbb.org, 970-484-1348 or 800-564-0371.