Are You Like 258,427 Other Consumers?
- I hope you said "No!" This is not a group that you want to be a part of!
According to a report put out in February 2008 by the Federal Trade Commission, 258,427 is the number of Identity Theft
complaints that were filed with the FTC last year. That number makes up 32% of the total number of complaints received!
Since the FTC gathers data from over 125 other organizations, this number is a pretty accurate representation of what is
going on out there. The most amazing fact is that 65% of these victims did not even file a police report!
The FTC report ranked all of the states in order of number of complaints. The metropolitan areas with the highest per
capita rates of reported consumer fraud complaints are Albany-Lebanon, Oregon; Greeley, Colorado; and Napa,
California.
So what were all of these people complaining about?
- Credit card fraud (23%) was the most common form of reported identity theft, followed by phone or utilities fraud
(18%), employment fraud (14%), government documents/benefits fraud (11%), loan fraud (5%), and bank fraud
(13%).
- Electronic fund transfer-related identity theft continues to be the most frequently reported type of identity theft bank
fraud during calendar year 2007.
If you use any of these forms of money or information transfer be sure you know who you are dealing with. Never send
money to someone you don’t have full and verifiable identification for. How can you do that? If they call you find out how you
can call them back. If you call them, get as much identifying information as you can and ask to speak to a supervisor. That
is not fool proof but it helps. Also, in most states it is legal to tape conversations with only one party consenting. Try telling
them that you are going to record the call for your own safety.
Linda Adams is an innovative and seasoned facilitator/educator with more than 20 years experience designing and
implementing programs for audiences of all ages. She is dedicated to helping others realize how important their credit is
to every facet of their lives.
Credit Article by Linda Adams - The Clean Credit Queen
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Linda Adams, The Clean Credit Queen is not a registered investment advisor and the information provided on this website should be considered educational in nature, but it is not a substitute for legal or professional financial advice. If you believe you need the help of a Certified Financial Planner or other investment counselor, please seek a qualified professional. |
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