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What is the American consumer most upset about?

Identity theft. It accounted for 15 percent of the 1.8 million complaints registered with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2011.

Here’s the rest of top complaints FTC received in 2011:

• Debt Collection Complaints
• Prizes, Sweepstakes, and Lotteries
• Shop-at-Home and Catalog Sales
• Banks and Lenders
• Internet Services
• Auto-related Complaints
• Impostor Scams
• Telephone and Mobile Services
• Advance-Fee Loans and Credit Protection/Repair

The data comes from complaints entered by Americans into the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant. The FTC shares the complaints with more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad, allowing them to track trends and target offenders.

Learn more about the FTC’s top complaints for 2011.

Download a PDF about what to do if your identity is stolen.

Order a FREE Consumer Action Handbook.

From the Federal Trade Commission:

Avoid the hidden costs in some free trial programs. This video shows you how to check out a free trial before you sign up and what to do if you find yourself getting charged for merchandise you don’t want and didn’t order. Learn more at http://ftc.gov/freetrials