NASHVILLE - Tennessee ranks No. 10 nationally in per-capita consumer complaints about fraud and other issues with Chattanooga holding down the No. 37 spot on the Federal Trade Commission's top metropolitan areas for fraud reports, according to a new FTC report.
Georgia ranked No. 2 nationally. Holding down the No. 1 ranking is Florida.
Total consumer losses in Tennessee topped $13.7 million last year.
The FTC report is drawing warnings from Tennessee Commerce and Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak, who in a statement said it "shines a light on the hurtful impact of scam artists on hard-working Tennessee consumers.
"We hope Tennesseans will use the findings in this report as an opportunity to renew their efforts to protect their families from fraud," McPeak added.
If consumers think they've been victimized by fraud, they should contact local law enforcement agencies and report the incident, she said.
They can also file a complaint through the state's Division of Consumer Affairs.
According to the report, the top three complaint areas for Tennesseans are:
* Debt collection
* Imposter scams
* Identity theft
Tennesseans filed 43,579 complaints of fraud last year, a per capita rate of 649 per 100,000 residents, according to the FTC report. Georgians filed 96,316 reports, amounting to a per capita rate of 924 per 100,000 people.
When it comes to reports of identity theft, Tennessee now ranks 24th nationwide, according to McPeak. The top three forms of identity theft in Tennessee relate to credit card fraud, employment or tax-related fraud and bank fraud.
The FTC's report was compiled from complaints made to the FTC's call center or online as well as complaints filed with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and other organizations.
With complaints about debt collectors as Tennesseans' top complaint area, the Division of Consumer Affairs and the state Collections Board ia calling on Tennesseans to be wary of "unscrupulous and illegal practices" by debt-collection agencies.
Officials point out that debt collectors may not harass, oppress, or abuse consumers or any third parties they contact.
For example, debt collectors may not:
· Use threats of violence or harm.
· Publish a list of names of people who refuse to pay their debts (but they can give this information to the credit reporting companies).
· Use obscene or profane language.
· Repeatedly use phone communication to annoy you.
· Contact you at inconvenient or unusual time periods. From 8 a.m.-9 p.m. is considered acceptable.
· Contact you at work if the collector knows, or has reason to know, the employer prohibits such communication.
· Contact you after you provided a notice in writing that you wish the communication to cease.
· Debt collectors may not lie when they are trying to collect a debt. And they also cannot do the following:
o Falsely claim that they are attorneys or government representatives.
o Falsely claim that you have committed a crime.
o Falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit reporting company.
o Misrepresent the amount you owe.
McPeak's office is advising consumers check the status of a collection agency's license. To do that, go to verify.tn.gov or to file a complaint related to a licensee Tennesseans can go here: https://www.tn.gov/commerce/resources-services/file-a-complaint.html
