Montana's Top Five Fraud
Complaints
According to the FTC annual
list of top consumer complaints for 2006, ID Theft complaints again topped the
list in
Montana
. The FTC recently issued its annual report, “Consumer Fraud and
Identity Theft Complaint Data” on complaints consumers have filed with the
agency. For the seventh year in a row, identity theft tops the list accounting
for 36 percent of the 674,354 complaints received between January 1 and December
31, 2006. Click
here to view the complete report.
The top five fraud
complaints for
Montana
were:
1.
Prizes/Sweepstakes
and Lotteries
2.
Shop-at-Home/Catalog
Sales
3.
Internet Services
and Computer Complaints
4.
Internet Auctions
5.
Foreign Money
Offers
Below, we have provided some useful links directed to educating you, the
consumer. Please feel free to visit
these sites designed and maintained by the US Government.
- Federal
Trade Commission
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and
unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to
help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them.
- Read
Up! How to be an Informed Consumer This
42 page brochure provides in-depth information about many different
consumer issues, as well as tips on how to avoid scams and rip-offs.
- Deter, Detect, and Defend
This
website is a one-stop national resource to learn about the crime of
identity theft. It provides detailed information to help you Deter,
Detect, and Defend against identity theft.
OnGuard
Online Provides
practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help
consumers be on guard against internet fraud, secure your computer, and protect
your personal information.