Consumer Fraud Survey Released by FTC

A statistical survey of fraud in the United States shows that 30.2 million adults were victims of some type of consumer fraud during 2005. According to the report, from the Federal Trade Commission, the top 10 most common consumer rip-offs are:

• Fraudulent Weight-Loss Products (4.8 M victims)
• Foreign Lottery Scams (3.2 M)
• Unauthorized Billing - Buyers Clubs (3.2 M)
• Prize Promotions (2.7 M)
• Work-at-Home Programs (2.4 M)
• Credit Card Insurance (2.1 M)
• Unauthorized Billing - Internet Services (1.8 M)
• Advance-Fee Loans (1.7 M)
• Credit Repair Scams (1.2 M)
• Business Opportunities (.8 M)

The FTC advises consumers to know who they are dealing with, protect personal information, and always read the fine print. Click on the links below for more information:

• FTC Press Release on Consumer Fraud Survey
• Consumer Fraud in the U.S. Survey [PDF file]
• Consumer Action Handbook (FindLaw)
• Consumer Issues and the Law (FindLaw)