A Top Ten To Avoid

This is the time of year that college basketball teams get very wrapped up in the numbers – specifically the Sweet 16, the Elite 8 and the Final 4. But the Federal Trade Commission recently released a top ten list that no one wants to join – the top ten consumer complaints by category. At number 1 for 12 years in a row is identity theft. It is the UCLA of consumer complaints. And that is probably no great surprise. But what should concern legitimate businesses even more are the categories that round out the field. That includes debt collection, shop at home and catalog sales, banks and lenders and auto related businesses. The point is this. If you offer goods or services in a top ten category, you are on the radar of the FTC, state attorneys general and consumer watchdog groups. And that’s not because you’re a bad actor, it’s just that there are plenty of bad guys in your business. So make sure you are careful about any solicitations, promotions and offers.