International Consumer Complaints (2014)
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International Consumer Complaints
January – December 2014
Federal Trade Commission
June 2015
Source: Data from Consumer Sentinel Network
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Report Subject
Page No.
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Cross-Border Fraud Complaints
Cross-Border Fraud Complaint Count by Calendar Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Cross-Border Fraud and Non-Cross-Border Fraud Complaints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Cross-Border Fraud Complaints by Consumer and Company Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
U.S. Consumers in Cross-Border Complaints
Number of U.S. Consumers in Cross-Border Fraud Complaints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Top Products or Services for Cross-Border Fraud Complaints from U.S. Consumers .. . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Amount Paid Information in Cross-Border Fraud Complaints from U.S. Consumers . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Method of Payment for Cross-Border Fraud Complaints from U.S. Consumers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Method of Initial Contact for Cross-Border Fraud Complaints from U.S. Consumers . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Cross-Border Fraud Complaints from U.S. Consumers – Canadian Provincial Details
Against Companies Located in Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Against Companies Located in Ontario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Against Companies Located in Quebec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Against Companies Located in British Columbia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Against Companies Located in Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
International Complaints
Top 100 Non-U.S. Company Locations Reported in Fraud Complaints. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Top Fraud Complaints in the Top 15 Non-U.S. Company Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Top 100 Non-U.S. Consumer Locations Reported in Fraud Complaints. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Top Fraud Complaints in the Top 5 Non-U.S. Consumer Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Canadian Consumer Fraud Complaints
Canadian Consumer Fraud Complaints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Located in Ontario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Located in Quebec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Located in Alberta. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Located in British Columbia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Top Complaints by Select Company Countries and Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Econsumer.gov
Top Consumer and Company Locations for Econsumer Complaints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Top Products or Services for Econsumer Complaints. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Top Alleged Law Violations for Econsumer Complaints. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Appendices
Appendix A1: Description of the Consumer Sentinel Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Appendix A2: Major Data Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Appendix A3: Data Contributor Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Appendix A4: Better Business Bureau Data Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Federal Trade Commission
Page 1 of 45
Released June 2015
INTRODUCTION
The Consumer Sentinel Network (CSN) is a secure online database of millions of
consumer complaints available only to law enforcement. In addition to storing complaints
received by the FTC, the CSN includes complaints filed with state law enforcement
organizations such as the Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection, the Montana, North
Carolina, and Oregon Departments of Justice, the South Carolina Department of Consumer
Affairs, the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs, and the Offices of the Attorneys
General for Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, Ohio, and Washington. Federal agencies,
including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the FBI’s Internet Crime
Complaint Center, contribute data. In 2014, the U.S. Departments of Defense, Education,
and Veterans Affairs began contributing educational institution and student lending
complaints from military members and their dependents. The Commission also receives
complaints from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Non-governmental organizations also
provide complaint data to the FTC. The Council of Better Business Bureaus, consisting of
all North American BBBs, is a major contributor of complaint data. Other organizations
include the following: Green Dot, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law,
MoneyGram International, the National Fraud Information Center, PrivacyStar and
Western Union.
Law enforcement partners - whether they are down the street, across the nation, or around
the world - can use information in the database to enhance and coordinate investigations.
Begun in 1997 to collect fraud and identity theft complaints, the CSN now has more than
10 million complaints, including those about credit reports, debt collection and mortgage
assistance scams, among other subjects. The CSN has a five-year data retention policy;
complaints older than five years are purged biannually. The following are a series of
statistical reports from the CSN database presenting information about cross-border fraud
and international complaints. For the purposes of this report, a fraud complaint is crossborder if the reported consumer and company country locations are different. We are also
presenting select “international” reports on complaints where either the reported consumer
or company country is outside the U.S. These reports provide further information about
complaints from consumers reporting from abroad and about foreign companies.
Company location is based on addresses reported by the complaining consumers and, thus,
likely understates the number of cross-border and international complaints. In some
instances, the company address provided by the consumer actually may be a mail drop in
the consumer’s country rather than the physical location of the company in a foreign
country, and in other cases, the consumer does not know whether the location is in the U.S.
or abroad.
Leading International Data Contributors
Better Business Bureaus
Internet Crime
Complaint Center
Canadian
Anti-Fraud Centre
Canada
Competition Bureau
MoneyGram
Western Union
Publishers Clearing
House
North Carolina
Department of Justice
National Consumers
League
PrivacyStar
Some organizations transfer their complaints to the CSN after the end of the calendar year,
and new data providers, added to the system each year, are contributing complaints from
prior years. As a result, the total number of complaints for 2014 will increase during the
next few months, and totals from previous years may differ from prior CSN annual reports.
The 2014 International Consumer Complaints Report is based on unverified complaints
reported by consumers. The data is not based on a consumer survey.
For more information about the Consumer Sentinel
www.FTC.gov/sentinel.
Law enforcement personnel may
Register.ConsumerSentinel.gov.
Network, visit
join CSN at
For a detailed description of the CSN and a complete list of our data contributors, see Appendices A1 through A4.
www.econsumer.gov
Federal Trade Commission
www.FTC.gov/sentinel
Page 2 of 45
www.FTC.gov/idtheft
Released June 2015
Executive Summary
International Consumer Complaints
January 1 – December 31, 2014
• The Commission received over 98,000 cross-border fraud complaints during calendar year 2014. Cross-border fraud complaints
comprised 6% of all fraud complaints received during calendar year 2014, 9% during CY-2013 and 10% in CY-2012.
• Impostor: Family\Friend was the leading type of complaint in U.S. consumers’ cross-border complaints (10%), followed by Shopat-Home\Catalog Sales (8%), Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts (7%), Foreign Money Offers (6%) and Telemarketing Practices (5%).
• Of all cross-border fraud complaints (98,181) in calendar year 2014, 5% (4,811) were from U.S. consumers complaining about
Canadian companies and 49% (48,427) were from U.S. consumers complaining about other foreign companies. Telemarketing
practices was the top reported type of complaint from U.S. consumers against Canadian companies.
• U.S. consumers reported fraud losses of over $9 million against companies located in Canada, and losses of over $171 million
against companies located in other foreign countries in calendar year 2014.
• Wire transfer was the highest reported payment method used in cross-border fraud complaints in calendar year 2014; 55% of the
complaints from U.S. consumers who paid companies located in Canada reported wire transfer as the payment method, and 78%
of the complaints from U.S. consumers who paid other foreign companies reported that payment method. Sixty-six percent of
cross-border fraud complaints from U.S. consumers reported payment method information. However, these figures may be
skewed by the significant number of complaints from data contributors MoneyGram International and Western Union Money
Transfer.
• Mail continued to be the most frequently reported method used by companies located in Canada to initially contact U.S. consumers
in CY-2014, while e-mail continued to be the most frequently reported method used by companies located in other foreign
countries to initially contact U.S. consumers.
• There were over 1.5 million fraud complaints (1,554,860) reported in the Consumer Sentinel Network (CSN) for calendar year
2014. For countries outside of the U.S., Canada was the number one reported company location for calendar year 2014, with
16,546 fraud complaints, followed by Nigeria (9,858), the United Kingdom (7,371); China (6,487); and Jamaica (6,159). The
complete ranking of the top 100 reported company locations appears on page 17 of this report, followed by the top complaint
products or services for each of the top 15 reported company locations.
• Of all fraud complaints in CSN for calendar year 2014 (1,554,860), Canada was the number one reported consumer location
outside the U.S., with 26,921 complaints, followed by the United Kingdom (5,074); Australia (3,216); India (2,197); and France
(1,668). The complete ranking of the top 100 reported consumer locations appears on page 22 of this report, followed by the top
complaint products or services for each of the top five reported consumer locations.
• A summary of complaints received against companies located in select regions appears in this report starting on page 30. The
regions cover Africa; Australia and New Zealand; the Caribbean; China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea; the European Union;
Latin America; the Middle East; South Asia; and Southeast Asia.
ECONSUMER.GOV – Collecting and sharing cross-border e-commerce complaints (for details see Appendix A1).
• Econsumer received over 63,000 complaints between CY-2012 and CY-2014; 22,569 complaints in CY-2012, 23,436 in CY-2013,
and 17,793 complaints in CY-2014.
• Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales was the most commonly reported product or service in Econsumer complaints during calendar year
2014, comprising 18% of Econsumer complaints during that time period, while Computers: Equipment\Software was the second
most commonly reported product or service, comprising 8% of Econsumer complaints. “Merchandise or Service Never Received”
accounts for 18% of the alleged Econsumer law violations in CY-2014.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 3 of 45
Released June 2015
Cross-Border Fraud Complaint Count1
Calendar Years 2010 through 2014
150,000
No. of Complaints
139,266
125,000
116,396
109,457
105,677
98,181
100,000
75,000
1For the purposes of this report, a fraud complaint is “cross-border” if the reported consumer and company
country locations are different. These figures exclude identity theft and do not call registry complaints.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 4 of 45
Released June 2015
Consumer Sentinel Network Fraud Complaints1
Calendar Years 2012 through 2014
Non-Cross-Border Fraud Complaints
(in thousands)
Cross-Border Fraud Complaints
1,554,860
1,600
1,500
1,400
1,300
1,200
1,100
1,000
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1,215,503
1,113,298
90%
10%
CY-2012
91%
1,109,826
9%
105,677
94%
1,456,679
6%
98,181
996,902
116,396
CY-2013
CY-2014
1Percentages are based on the total number of Consumer Sentinel Network fraud complaints by
calendar year. These figures exclude identity theft and do not call registry complaints.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 5 of 45
Released June 2015
Cross-Border Fraud Complaints
By Consumer and Company Location1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
U.S. Consumers Against
Companies Located in
Canada
5%
Foreign Consumers Against
Companies Located in
Other Foreign Countries
12%
Foreign Consumers Against
Companies Located in the
U.S. or Canada
18%
U.S. Consumers Against
Companies Located in
Other Foreign Countries
49%
Canadian Consumers
Against Companies Located
in Other Foreign Countries
5%
Canadian Consumers
Against Companies Located
in the U.S.
11%
Cross-Border Fraud Complaints By Consumer and Company Location1
Calendar Years 2012 through 2014
Calendar Year
U.S. Consumers Against Companies Located in Canada
U.S. Consumers Against Companies Located in Other Foreign Countries
Canadian Consumers Against Companies Located in the U.S.
Canadian Consumers Against Companies Located in Other Foreign Countries
Foreign Consumers Against Companies Located in the U.S. or Canada
Foreign Consumers Against Companies Located in Other Foreign Countries
2012
2013
2014
6%
64%
8%
6%
10%
6%
5%
52%
10%
6%
17%
10%
5%
49%
11%
5%
18%
12%
1Percentages are based on the total number of cross-border fraud complaints for each calendar year: CY-2012 = 116,396;
CY-2013 = 105,677; and CY-2014 = 98,181.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 6 of 45
Released June 2015
Fraud Complaints from U.S. Consumers Against
Companies Located in Foreign Countries
Calendar Years 2010 through 2014
120,000
105,176
No. of Complaints
100,000
82,128
80,000
81,018
59,700
60,000
53,238
40,000
20,000
Federal Trade Commission
Page 7 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services for Cross-Border Fraud Complaints
from U.S. Consumers1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Complaints
5,464
4,434
3,948
3,430
2,635
Product or Service
Impostor: Family\Friend
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Foreign Money Offers
Telemarketing Practices
Percentage
10%
8%
7%
6%
5%
1
1Percentages are based on the total number of cross-border fraud complaints (53,238) from U.S. consumers received
between January 1 and December 31, 2014. Thirty-four percent (18,154) of the cross-border complaints from U.S.
consumers did not contain specific product service codes.
Top Products or Services for Complaints from U.S.
Consumers Against Companies Located in Canada
Top Products or Services for Complaints from U.S.
Consumers Against Companies Located in
Other Foreign Countries
January 1 – December 31, 2014
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Rank Product or Service
1 Telemarketing Practices
2 Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
3 Advance-Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
4 Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
5 Impostor: Family\Friend
Complaints Percentage2
878
816
300
281
183
18%
17%
6%
6%
4%
3
Complaints Percentage
Rank Product or Service
1 Impostor: Family\Friend
5,286
11%
2 Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
4,156
9%
3 Foreign M oney Offers
3,301
7%
4 Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
3,133
6%
5 Lotteries\Lottery Ticket Buying Clubs
2,269
5%
2Percentages are based on the total number of cross-border fraud complaints
3Percentages are based on the total number of cross-border fraud complaints
(4,811) from U.S. consumers against companies located in Canada received
between January 1 and December 31, 2014.
(48,427) from U.S. consumers against companies located in other foreign
countries received between January 1 and December 31, 2014.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 8 of 45
Released June 2015
Fraud Complaints and Amount Paid by
U.S. Consumers Against Companies Located in Canada
Calendar Years 2012 through 2014
CY
Complaint Count
Reporting Percentage Reporting
Total
Amount Paid
Amount Paid
2012
2013
2014
7,552
5,100
4,811
5,664
3,402
2,785
75%
67%
58%
Amount Paid
1
Reported
Average
$13,013,537
$10,265,597
$9,307,553
$2,298
$3,018
$3,342
2
Median
$676
$586
$613
1Average is based on the total number of consumers who reported amount paid for each calendar year: CY-2012 = 5,664;
CY-2013 = 3,402; and CY-2014 = 2,785. The amount paid is based on complaints with reported values from $0 to
$999,999.
2Median is the middle number in a set of numbers so that half the numbers have values that are greater than the median and
half have values that are less. Calculation of the median excludes complaints with amount paid reported as $0.
Fraud Complaints and Amount Paid by
U.S. Consumers Against Companies Located in Other Foreign Countries
Calendar Years 2012 through 2014
CY
Complaint Count
Reporting Percentage Reporting
Total
Amount Paid
Amount Paid
2012
2013
2014
74,576
54,600
48,427
71,906
52,561
45,959
96%
96%
95%
Amount Paid
Reported
Average
3
$183,542,868 $2,553
$190,051,990 $3,616
$171,694,524 $3,736
4
Median
$518
$660
$590
3Average is based on the total number of consumers who reported amount paid for each calendar year: CY-2012 = 71,906;
CY-2013 = 52,561; and CY-2014 = 45,959. The amount paid is based on complaints with reported values from $0 to
$999,999.
4Median is the middle number in a set of numbers so that half the numbers have values that are greater than the median and
half have values that are less. Calculation of the median excludes complaints with amount paid reported as $0.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 9 of 45
Released June 2015
Method of Payment Reported by U.S. Consumers in
Cross-Border Fraud Complaints
January 1 - December 31, 2014
U.S. Consumers Who Paid Companies Located in Canada1
2
1Percentages are based on the total number of consumers who reported the method of payment
(1,439). Thirty percent of consumers reported this information.
2These figures include a significant number of complaints from data contributors MoneyGram
International and Western Union Money Transfer, which may affect the distribution of the reported
method of payment.
U.S. Consumers Who Paid Companies Located in Other Foreign Countries3
4
3Percentages are based on the total number of consumers who reported the method of payment
(33,775). Seventy percent of consumers reported this information.
4These figures include a significant number of complaints from data contributors MoneyGram
International and Western Union Money Transfer, which may affect the distribution of the reported
method of payment.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 10 of 45
Released June 2015
Method of Initial Contact in
Cross-Border Fraud Complaints from U.S. Consumers
U.S. Consumers Contacted By Companies Located in Canada1
CY – 2012
CY - 2013
CY - 2014
1Percentages are based on the total number of consumers who reported the company’s method of initial
contact: CY-2012 = 5,149 with 68% reporting this information; CY-2013 = 3,448 with 68% reporting this
information; and CY-2014 = 2,761 with 57% reporting this information.
U.S. Consumers Contacted By Companies Located in
Other Foreign Countries2
CY - 2012
CY - 2013
CY – 2014
2Percentages are based on the total number of consumers who reported the company’s method of initial
contact: CY-2012 = 38,747 with 52% reporting this information; CY-2013 = 28,497 with 52% reporting
this information; and CY-2014 = 24,350 with 50% reporting this information.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 11 of 45
Released June 2015
Fraud Complaints from U.S. Consumers Against
Companies Located in Canada
January 1 – December 31, 2014
British
Columbia
Alberta
Quebec
Ontario
Company Locations
Province\Territory
Ontario
Quebec
British Columbia
Alberta
Nova Scotia
Manitoba
Saskatchewan
New Brunswick
Prince Edward Island
Newfoundland
Yukon
Northwest Territories
Nunavut
Not Reported
Federal Trade Commission
Complaints Percentage
1,589
33.0%
492
10.2%
348
7.2%
136
2.8%
40
0.8%
40
0.8%
30
0.6%
17
0.4%
7
0.1%
7
0.1%
1
<0.1%
0
0.0%
0
0.0%
2,104
43.7%
1
1Percentages are based on the 4,811 fraud complaints
received between January 1 and December 31, 2014 from
U.S. consumers against companies located in Canada.
Page 12 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints
from U.S. Consumers Against Companies Located in
Ontario, Canada1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Other
23%
Telemarketing Practices
38%
Mobile: Text Messages
5%
Shop-at-Home\Catalog
Sales
7%
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
9%
Advance-Fee Loans,
Credit Arrangers
18%
Rank Product or Service
1 Telemarketing Practices
2 Advance-Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
3 Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
4 Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
5 Mobile: Text Messages
Complaints Percentage
597
38%
284
18%
144
9%
108
7%
83
5%
1Percentages are based upon the total number of fraud complaints (1,589) by U.S. consumers
complaining about companies in Ontario, Canada received between January 1 and December 31, 2014.
Note that counts and percentages may not add up to the total because CSN complaints may be coded
under multiple product service codes.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 13 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints
from U.S. Consumers Against Companies Located in
Quebec, Canada1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Other
27%
Foreign Money Offers
19%
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
6%
Office: Ad
Space\Directory Listings
6%
Shop-at-Home\Catalog
Sales
8%
Impostor: Family\Friend
18%
Telemarketing Practices
16%
Rank Product or Service
1 Foreign Money Offers
2 Impostor: Family\Friend
3 Telemarketing Practices
4 Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
5 Office: Ad Space\Directory Listings
6 Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Complaints Percentage
94
19%
89
18%
79
16%
39
8%
31
6%
31
6%
1Percentages are based upon the total number of fraud complaints (492) by U.S. consumers complaining
about companies in Quebec, Canada received between January 1 and December 31, 2014. Note that
counts and percentages may not add up to the total because CSN complaints may be coded under
multiple product service codes.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 14 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints
from U.S. Consumers Against Companies Located in
British Columbia, Canada1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Telemarketing Practices
14%
Other
53%
Shop-at-Home\Catalog
Sales
12%
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
9%
Internet Web Site
Design\Promotion
6%
Mobile: Text Messages
6%
Rank Product or Service
1 Telemarketing Practices
2 Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
3 Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
4 Mobile: Text Messages
5 Internet Web Site Design\Promotion
Complaints Percentage
47
14%
43
12%
33
9%
22
6%
21
6%
1Percentages are based upon the total number of fraud complaints (348) by U.S. consumers complaining
about companies in British Columbia, Canada received between January 1 and December 31, 2014. Note
that counts and percentages may not add up to the total because CSN complaints may be coded under
multiple product service codes.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 15 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints
from U.S. Consumers Against Companies Located in
Alberta, Canada1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Other
19%
Travel\Vacations
3%
Telemarketing Practices
41%
Impostor: Family\Friend
3%
Impostor: Business
3%
Counterfeit Check Scams
3%
Foreign Money Offers
4%
Mobile: Text Messages
7%
Shop-at-Home\Catalog
Sales
17%
Rank Product or Service
1 Telemarketing Practices
2 Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
3 Mobile: Text Messages
4 Foreign Money Offers
5 Counterfeit Check Scams
6 Impostor: Business
7 Impostor: Family\Friend
8 Travel\Vacations
Complaints Percentage
56
41%
23
17%
9
7%
6
4%
4
3%
4
3%
4
3%
4
3%
1Percentages are based upon the total number of fraud complaints (136) by U.S. consumers
complaining about companies in Alberta, Canada received between January 1 and December 31, 2014.
Note that counts and percentages may not add up to the total because CSN complaints may be coded
under multiple product service codes.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 16 of 45
Released June 2015
Fraud Complaints Reported Against
Top 100 Non-U.S. Company Locations
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Rank Company Location
1 Canada
2 Nigeria
3 United Kingdom
4 China
5 Jamaica
6 India
7 Mexico
8 Ghana
9 Dominican Republic
10 Philippines
11 Cameroon
12 South Africa
13 Benin
14 Spain
15 France
16 Russian Federation
17 Malaysia
18 Australia
19 Greece
20 Germany
21 Ukraine
22 United Arab Emirates
23 Turkey
24 Netherlands
25 Cote D’Ivoire
26 Costa Rica
26 Ireland
28 Afghanistan
29 Italy
30 Peru
31 Pakistan
32 Japan
33 Switzerland
34 Colombia
35 Cyprus
36 Romania
37 Poland
38 Portugal
39 Thailand
40 Panama
41 Togo
42 Haiti
43 Bulgaria
44 Egypt
45 Indonesia
46 Singapore
47 New Zealand
48 Macedonia
49 Burkina Faso
50 Belgium
Complaints
16,546
9,858
7,371
6,487
6,159
5,446
4,618
2,816
2,509
2,221
1,737
1,252
1,186
1,021
993
939
854
749
738
723
714
681
602
600
522
515
515
464
444
393
389
384
381
350
349
324
284
280
279
273
272
250
238
235
221
216
205
187
184
183
Rank Company Location
51 Israel
52 Kenya
52 Nicaragua
54 Morocco
55 Sweden
56 Brazil
57 Czech Republic
58 Guatemala
59 Chile
60 Lebanon
61 Republic of Korea
61 Uganda
63 Senegal
64 El Salvador
65 Denmark
66 Mali
67 Bahamas
68 Vietnam
69 Finland
70 Honduras
71 Argentina
72 Bangladesh
72 Ecuador
74 Lithuania
74 Nepal
76 Georgia
77 Belize
78 Austria
78 Cambodia
78 Malta
78 Qatar
82 Trinidad and Tobago
83 Syria
84 Iraq
85 Latvia
85 Taiwan
87 Norway
88 Venezuela
89 Hungary
90 Laos
91 Serbia
92 Luxembourg
93 Saudi Arabia
94 Moldova
95 British Virgin Islands
96 Sri Lanka
97 Dominica
98 Anguilla
99 Antigua and Barbuda
100 Bermuda
Complaints
180
166
166
164
163
149
145
143
119
117
111
111
105
91
90
87
85
83
81
74
73
68
68
66
66
65
63
58
58
58
58
57
56
55
54
54
52
51
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
Note: Company country names appear as reported by consumers and may not reflect where the company is actually located.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 17 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against the Top 15 Company Locations Outside of the U.S.1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against Companies Located in Canada
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Telemarketing Practices
Employ Agencies\Job Counsel\Overseas Work
Advance-Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
Complaints
2,828
2,700
1,334
1,077
1,044
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against Companies Located in Nigeria
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Impostor: Family\Friend
Romance Scams
Foreign Money Offers
Internet Auction
Lotteries\Lottery Ticket Buying Clubs
Complaints
1,796
1,187
962
640
395
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against Companies Located in the U.K.
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Internet Auction
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Business Opportunities\Work-At-Home Plans
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Foreign Money Offers
Complaints
926
885
304
182
167
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against Companies Located in China
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Internet Auction
Credit Cards
Telephone: Other
Impostor: Business
Complaints
2,556
523
210
185
162
1Complaints may be coded under multiple product service codes.
Note: Company country names appear as reported by consumers and may not reflect where the company is actually located.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 18 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against the Top 15 Company Locations Outside of the U.S.1 (cont’d)
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against Companies Located in Jamaica
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Lotteries\Lottery Ticket Buying Clubs
Telemarketing Practices
Impostor: Business
Advance-Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
Complaints
2,716
1,584
1,170
547
326
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against Companies Located in India
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Impostor: Business
Internet Auction
Advance-Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Complaints
668
410
370
328
261
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against Companies Located in Mexico
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Impostor: Family\Friend
Foreign Money Offers
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Internet Auction
Travel\Vacations
Complaints
1,980
1,049
414
94
81
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against Companies Located in Ghana
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Impostor: Family\Friend
Romance Scams
Foreign Money Offers
Internet Auction
Invest: Other
Complaints
716
567
340
110
104
1Complaints may be coded under multiple product service codes.
Note: Company country names appear as reported by consumers and may not reflect where the company is actually located.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 19 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against the Top 15 Company Locations Outside of the U.S.1 (cont’d)
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against Companies Located in Dominican Republic
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Impostor: Family\Friend
Foreign Money Offers
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Romance Scams
Advance-Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
Complaints
566
389
350
255
107
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against Companies Located in Philippines
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Romance Scams
Impostor: Family\Friend
Internet Auction
Business Opportunities\Work-At-Home Plans
Foreign Money Offers
Complaints
308
257
174
170
118
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against Companies Located in Cameroon
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Internet Auction
Impostor: Family\Friend
Foreign Money Offers
Advance-Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
Complaints
778
539
<20
<20
<20
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against Companies Located in South Africa
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Impostor: Family\Friend
Foreign Money Offers
Romance Scams
Internet Auction
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Complaints
160
97
84
74
54
1Complaints may be coded under multiple product service codes.
Note: Company country names appear as reported by consumers and may not reflect where the company is actually located.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 20 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against the Top 15 Company Locations Outside of the U.S.1 (cont’d)
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against Companies Located in Benin
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Advance-Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
Internet Auction
Foreign Money Offers
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Lotteries\Lottery Ticket Buying Clubs
Complaints
196
178
84
69
61
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against Companies Located in Spain
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Timeshare Sales
Property\Inheritance Tracers
Internet Auction
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Complaints
123
96
94
79
77
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
Against Companies Located in France
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Internet Auction
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Business Opportunities\Work-At-Home Plans
Advance-Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
Employ Agencies\Job Counsel\Overseas Work
Complaints
211
159
58
51
38
1Complaints may be coded under multiple product service codes.
Note: Company country names appear as reported by consumers and may not reflect where the company is actually located.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 21 of 45
Released June 2015
Fraud Complaints Reported For
Top 100 Non-U.S. Consumer Locations
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Rank Consumer Location
1 Canada
2 United Kingdom
3 Australia
4 India
5 France
6 Mexico
7 Italy
8 Germany
9 Spain
10 Brazil
11 China
12 Russian Federation
13 South Africa
14 Netherlands
15 Philippines
16 New Zealand
17 Israel
18 Colombia
19 Sweden
20 Malaysia
21 Belgium
21 United Arab Emirates
23 Ireland
24 Singapore
25 Turkey
26 Saudi Arabia
27 Argentina
27 Switzerland
29 Portugal
30 Japan
31 Pakistan
32 Romania
33 Greece
34 Republic of Korea
35 Denmark
36 Nigeria
37 Ukraine
38 Norway
39 Poland
40 Chile
41 Finland
42 Venezuela
43 Thailand
44 Bulgaria
45 Indonesia
46 Peru
47 Hungary
48 Egypt
49 Ecuador
50 Taiwan
Complaints
26,921
5,074
3,216
2,197
1,668
1,306
1,139
883
861
769
752
675
640
565
469
424
408
384
380
366
363
363
362
340
336
299
298
298
296
292
289
273
265
252
229
210
200
194
181
180
163
159
156
150
140
138
122
121
120
114
Rank Consumer Location
51
Austria
52
Dominican Republic
53
Czech Republic
54
Kuwait
55
Croatia
56
Trinidad and Tobago
57
Costa Rica
58
Jamaica
59
Guatemala
59
Kenya
61
Cyprus
61
Qatar
63
Bolivia
63
Kazakhstan
63
Latvia
66
Mauritius
67
Lebanon
68
Albania
68
Panama
68
Slovenia
71
Sri Lanka
72
Lithuania
72
Slovakia
74
Bahamas
75
Bangladesh
76
Iran
77
Uruguay
78
Bahrain
79
Vietnam
80
Estonia
81
Malta
82
Ghana
83
Jordan
84
Macedonia
85
Azerbaijan
86
Honduras
87
Oman
88
Uganda
89
Afghanistan
90
El Salvador
91
Armenia
92
Moldova
93
Nicaragua
94
Bosnia and Herzegovina
95
Serbia
96
Belarus
97
Fiji
98
Algeria
99
Morocco
100 Luxembourg
Complaints
113
106
101
99
96
85
81
80
67
67
65
65
63
63
63
62
60
56
56
56
55
54
54
53
52
51
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
<50
Note: Consumer country names appear as reported by consumers.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 22 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
in the Top 5 Consumer Locations Outside of the U.S.1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
By Consumers Located in Canada
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Office: Ad Space\Directory Listings
Employ Agencies\Job Counsel\Overseas Work
Internet Auction
Complaints
4,457
3,782
1,432
1,328
1,318
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
By Consumers Located in the U.K.
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Internet Auction
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Advance-Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
Impostor: Family\Friend
Timeshare Sales
Complaints
493
371
364
354
298
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
By Consumers Located in Australia
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Internet Auction
Impostor: Family\Friend
Credit Cards
Travel\Vacations
Complaints
609
546
112
102
81
1Complaints may be coded under multiple product service codes.
Note: Consumer country names appear as reported by consumers.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 23 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
in the Top 5 Consumer Locations Outside of the U.S.1 (cont’d)
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
By Consumers Located in India
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Internet Information Services
Employ Agencies\Job Counsel\Overseas Work
Business Opportunities\Work-At-Home Plans
Unsolicited Email
Complaints
175
46
44
38
32
Top Products or Services for Fraud Complaints Reported
By Consumers Located in France
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Internet Auction
Telephone: Other
Impostor: Family\Friend
Credit Cards
Complaints
344
148
63
60
57
1Complaints may be coded under multiple product service codes.
Note: Consumer country names appear as reported by consumers.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 24 of 45
Released June 2015
Canadian Consumer Fraud Complaints
January 1 – December 31, 2014
No. of Complaints
26,921
Total Amount Paid
1
Reported
$44,832,172
1The amount paid is based on complaints with reported values from $0 to $999,999.
Note: Forty percent (10,722) of the complaints from Canadian consumers were against
companies located in the United States; $19,791,645 amount paid was reported in these
complaints.
Top Products or Services by Complaint Count2
Other
54%
Shop-at-Home\
Catalog Sales
17%
Prizes\Sweepstakes\
Gifts
14%
Internet Auction
5%
Employ Agencies\Job
Counsel\Overseas Work
5%
Office: Ad Space\
Directory Listings
5%
2Percentages are based upon the total number of fraud complaints (26,921) by Canadian consumers received between
January 1 and December 31, 2014.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 25 of 45
Released June 2015
Fraud Complaints from Consumers Located in
Ontario, Canada
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Top 5 Products or Services1
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Product or Service
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Employ Agencies\Job Counsel\Overseas Work
Internet Auction
Travel\Vacations
Complaints Percentage
1,856
20%
1,660
18%
588
6%
503
5%
502
5%
1
1Percentages are based on the total number of fraud complaints (9,477) received from Ontario consumers during the time period. Four percent (395) of the
fraud complaints received from Ontario consumers did not include specific product service codes.
Reported Amount Paid
Complaint Count
Amount Paid
Reporting Percentage Reporting
2
3
Total
Amount Paid
Amount Paid
Reported Average
Median
9,477
5,003
53%
$11,343,650
$2,267
$700
2Average amount paid is based upon the total number of complaints where amount paid was reported by Ontario consumers (5,003). The amount paid is based
on complaints with reported values from $0 to $999,999.
3Median is the middle number in a set of numbers so that half the numbers have values that are greater than the median and half have values that are less.
Calculation of the median excludes complaints with amount paid reported as $0.
Company’s Method of Contacting
Consumers4
Method of Payment Reported by
Consumers5
4Percentages are based on the total number of fraud complaints where company’s
method of initial contact was reported by Ontario consumers (5,592). Nine percent
(494) of consumers reported other methods of initial contact. 59% of consumers
reported this information.
Federal Trade Commission
5Percentages are based on the total number of Ontario consumers who reported the
method of payment (2,254) during the time period. 24% of consumers reported this
information.
Page 26 of 45
Released June 2015
Fraud Complaints from Consumers Located in
Quebec, Canada
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Top 5 Products or Services1
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Complaints Percentage
1,157
32%
349
10%
328
9%
241
7%
230
6%
Product or Service
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Office: Ad Space\Directory Listings
Internet Auction
Impostor: Family\Friend
Advance-Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
1
1Percentages are based on the total number of fraud complaints (3,597) received from Quebec consumers during the time period. Three percent (101) of
the fraud complaints received from Quebec consumers did not include specific product service codes.
Reported Amount Paid
Complaint Count
Reporting Percentage Reporting
Total
Amount Paid
Amount Paid
3,597
2,171
60%
Amount Paid
Reported
$7,535,280
Average
$3,471
2
3
Median
$627
2Average amount paid is based upon the total number of complaints where amount paid was reported by Quebec consumers (2,171).
The amount paid is based
on complaints with reported values from $0 to $999,999.
3Median is the middle number in a set of numbers so that half the numbers have values that are greater than the median and half have values that are less.
Calculation of the median excludes complaints with amount paid reported as $0.
Company’s Method of Contacting
Consumers4
Method of Payment Reported by
Consumers5
4Percentages are based on the total number of fraud complaints where company’s
5Percentages are based on the total number of Quebec consumers who reported the
method of initial contact was reported by Quebec consumers (2,315). Thirteen
percent (312) of consumers reported other methods of initial contact. 64% of
consumers reported this information.
method of payment (1,247) during the time period. 35% of consumers reported this
information.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 27 of 45
Released June 2015
Fraud Complaints from Consumers Located in
Alberta, Canada
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Top 5 Products or Services1
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Complaints Percentage
540
16%
523
15%
372
11%
242
7%
218
6%
Product or Service
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Auto: Sales – New
Office: Ad Space\Directory Listings
Travel\Vacations
1
1Percentages are based on the total number of fraud complaints (3,434) received from Alberta consumers during the time period. Four percent (154) of the
fraud complaints received from Alberta consumers did not include specific product service codes.
Reported Amount Paid
Complaint Count
Reporting Percentage Reporting
Total
Amount Paid
Amount Paid
3,434
1,708
50%
Amount Paid
Reported
$4,798,648
Average
$2,810
2
3
Median
$740
2Average amount paid is based upon the total number of complaints where amount paid was reported by Alberta consumers (1,708). The amount paid is based
on complaints with reported values from $0 to $999,999.
3Median is the middle number in a set of numbers so that half the numbers have values that are greater than the median and half have values that are less.
Calculation of the median excludes complaints with amount paid reported as $0.
Company’s Method of Contacting
Consumers4
Method of Payment Reported by
Consumers5
4Percentages are based on the total number of fraud complaints where company’s
5Percentages are based on the total number of Alberta consumers who reported the
method of payment (817) during the time period. 24% of consumers reported this
information.
method of initial contact was reported by Alberta consumers (1,822). Nine percent
(167) of consumers reported other methods of initial contact. 53% of consumers
reported this information.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 28 of 45
Released June 2015
Fraud Complaints from Consumers Located in
British Columbia, Canada
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Top 5 Products or Services1
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Complaints Percentage
449
13%
447
13%
206
6%
200
6%
197
6%
Product or Service
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Auto: Sales – New
Office: Ad Space\Directory Listings
Travel\Vacations
1Percentages are based on the total number of fraud complaints (3,364) received from British Columbia consumers during the time period.
1
Seven percent
(243) of the fraud complaints received from British Columbia consumers did not include specific product service codes.
Reported Amount Paid
Complaint Count
Reporting Percentage Reporting
Total
Amount Paid
Amount Paid
3,364
1,502
45%
Amount Paid
Reported
$5,142,524
Average
$3,424
2
3
Median
$732
2Average amount paid is based upon the total number of complaints where amount paid was reported by British Columbia consumers (1,502). The amount paid
is based on complaints with reported values from $0 to $999,999.
3Median is the middle number in a set of numbers so that half the numbers have values that are greater than the median and half have values that are less.
Calculation of the median excludes complaints with amount paid reported as $0.
Company’s Method of Contacting
Consumers4
Method of Payment Reported by
Consumers5
4Percentages are based on the total number of fraud complaints where company’s
5Percentages are based on the total number of British Columbia consumers who
method of initial contact was reported by British Columbia consumers (1,647).
Eight percent (137) of consumers reported other methods of initial contact. 49%
of consumers reported this information.
reported the method of payment (673) during the time period. 20% of consumers
reported this information.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 29 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services in All Complaints
Reported Against Companies Located in Africa1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Product or Service
Impostor: Family\Friend
Internet Auction
Romance Scams
Foreign Money Offers
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Advance-Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
Lotteries\Lottery Ticket Buying Clubs
Invest: Other
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Housing
Business Opportunities\Work-At-Home Plans
Employ Agencies\Job Counsel\Overseas Work
Impostor: Business
Impostor: Government
Unsolicited Email
Counterfeit Check Scams
Charitable Solicitations
Internet Information Services
Property\Inheritance Tracers
Telemarketing Practices
Complaints
3,140
1,961
1,957
1,635
1,416
683
535
456
378
325
290
129
108
87
81
58
54
48
43
39
1“Africa” includes complaints where consumers reported the company country location as Algeria, Angola, Ascension and Tristan Da Cunha, Benin, Botswana,
Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Cote
D’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,
Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Western Sahara, Zambia or Zimbabwe. Note
it is possible that not all countries have complaints in the system for the period the report covers.
Note: Company country locations appear as reported by consumers and may not reflect where the company is actually located.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 30 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services in All Complaints
Reported Against Companies Located in Australia and New Zealand1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Product or Service
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Internet Auction
Computers: Equipment\Software
Internet Access Services
Internet Information Services
Employ Agencies\Job Counsel\Overseas Work
Impostor: Business
Business Opportunities\Work-At-Home Plans
Unsolicited Email
Telemarketing Practices
Credit Cards
Internet Web Site Design\Promotion
Home Furnishings
Invest: Other
Counterfeit Check Scams
Health Care: Other Products\Supplies
Cars
Impostor: Government
Romance Scams
Complaints
75
44
40
32
29
24
24
22
<20
<20
<20
<20
<20
<20
<20
<20
<20
<20
<20
<20
1Includes complaints where consumers reported the company country location as Australia or New Zealand.
Note: Company country locations appear as reported by consumers and may not reflect where the company is actually located.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 31 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services in All Complaints
Reported Against Companies Located in the Caribbean1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Product or Service
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Lotteries\Lottery Ticket Buying Clubs
Telemarketing Practices
Impostor: Business
Advance-Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
Foreign Money Offers
Impostor: Government
Impostor: Family\Friend
Invest: Other
Internet Auction
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Third Party Debt Collection
Romance Scams
Mobile: Text Messages
Counterfeit Check Scams
Mobile: Other
Grants: Non-Educational
Business Opportunities\Work-At-Home Plans
Telephone: Other
Internet Information Services
Complaints
2,736
1,595
1,270
563
332
226
144
140
80
77
57
54
40
36
31
27
27
23
<20
<20
1“Caribbean” includes complaints where consumers reported the company country location as a member or associate of the Caribbean
Community and Common Market (CARICOM), which includes Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British
Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Turks and Caicos Islands. Note it is possible that not all countries have complaints in the
system for the period the report covers.
Note: Company country locations appear as reported by consumers and may not reflect where the company is actually located.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 32 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services in All Complaints
Reported Against Companies Located in China, Japan and
the Republic of Korea1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Product or Service
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Internet Auction
Computers: Equipment\Software
Credit Cards
Telephone: Other
Impostor: Business
Employ Agencies\Job Counsel\Overseas Work
Jewelry\Watches
Home Appliances
Internet Access Services
Property\Inheritance Tracers
Children's Products
Business Opportunities\Work-At-Home Plans
Banks
Health Care: Other Products\Supplies
Cars
Unsolicited Email
Internet Information Services
Counterfeit Check Scams
Romance Scams
Complaints
2,635
537
396
222
196
170
92
92
85
84
75
69
58
52
49
47
46
40
38
38
1Includes complaints where consumers reported the company country location as China, Japan, or the Republic of Korea.
Note: Company country locations appear as reported by consumers and may not reflect where the company is actually located.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 33 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services in All Complaints
Reported Against Companies Located in EU Member States1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Product or Service
Internet Auction
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Business Opportunities\Work-At-Home Plans
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Impostor: Family\Friend
Office: Ad Space\Directory Listings
Foreign Money Offers
Television (Programming and Advertisements)
Employ Agencies\Job Counsel\Overseas Work
Impostor: Business
Internet Information Services
Lotteries\Lottery Ticket Buying Clubs
Invest: Other
Property\Inheritance Tracers
Computers: Equipment\Software
Timeshare Sales
Travel\Vacations
Advance-Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
Unsolicited Email
Romance Scams
Complaints
1,753
1,601
584
575
520
383
375
331
322
285
271
267
257
243
222
207
192
183
176
175
1“EU Member States” includes complaints where consumers reported the company country location as Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,
the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden or the United Kingdom. Note it is possible that not all countries
have complaints in the system for the period the report covers.
Note: Company country locations appear as reported by consumers and may not reflect where the company is actually located.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 34 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services in All Complaints
Reported Against Companies Located in Latin America1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Product or Service
Impostor: Family\Friend
Foreign Money Offers
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Lotteries\Lottery Ticket Buying Clubs
Romance Scams
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Internet Auction
Advance-Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
Impostor: Government
Telemarketing Practices
Travel\Vacations
Employ Agencies\Job Counsel\Overseas Work
Impostor: Business
Business Opportunities\Work-At-Home Plans
Timeshare Sales
Invest: Other
Unsolicited Email
Timeshare Resales
Third Party Debt Collection
Mobile: Other
Complaints
2,990
1,636
960
363
307
283
245
235
141
136
120
115
99
94
91
83
47
34
30
27
1“Latin America” includes complaints where consumers reported the company country location as Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia,
Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay,
Peru, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Uruguay or Venezuela. Note it is possible that not all countries have complaints in the system for the
period the report covers.
Note: Company country locations appear as reported by consumers and may not reflect where the company is actually located.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 35 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services in All Complaints
Reported Against Companies Located in the Middle East1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Product or Service
Internet Auction
Impostor: Family\Friend
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Foreign Money Offers
Romance Scams
Business Opportunities\Work-At-Home Plans
Lotteries\Lottery Ticket Buying Clubs
Employ Agencies\Job Counsel\Overseas Work
Impostor: Business
Office: Ad Space\Directory Listings
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Invest: Other
Counterfeit Check Scams
Internet Information Services
Unsolicited Email
Advance-Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
Computers: Equipment\Software
Travel\Vacations
Telemarketing Practices
Credit Cards
Complaints
215
164
104
103
103
87
68
53
52
43
40
34
31
23
23
<20
<20
<20
<20
<20
1“Middle East” includes complaints where consumers reported the company country location as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Gaza Strip,
Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, West Bank or Yemen.
Note it is possible that not all countries have complaints in the system for the period the report covers.
Note: Company country locations appear as reported by consumers and may not reflect where the company is actually located.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 36 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services in All Complaints
Reported Against Companies Located in South Asia1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Product or Service
Impostor: Business
Internet Auction
Advance-Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Telemarketing Practices
Lotteries\Lottery Ticket Buying Clubs
Internet Information Services
Spyware\Adware\Malware
Computers: Equipment\Software
Invest: Other
Foreign Money Offers
Impostor: Government
Impostor: Family\Friend
Romance Scams
Business Opportunities\Work-At-Home Plans
Internet Access Services
Grants: Non-Educational
Employ Agencies\Job Counsel\Overseas Work
Unsolicited Email
Complaints
694
471
411
400
281
272
252
224
209
189
158
155
139
100
81
79
61
57
56
43
1“South Asia” includes complaints where consumers reported the company country location as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, British Indian
Ocean Territory, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan or Sri Lanka. Note it is possible that not all countries have complaints in the system for the
period the report covers.
Note: Company country locations appear as reported by consumers and may not reflect where the company is actually located.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 37 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services in All Complaints
Reported Against Companies Located in Southeast Asia1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Product or Service
Romance Scams
Impostor: Family\Friend
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Internet Auction
Foreign Money Offers
Business Opportunities\Work-At-Home Plans
Lotteries\Lottery Ticket Buying Clubs
Prizes\Sweepstakes\Gifts
Housing
Employ Agencies\Job Counsel\Overseas Work
Impostor: Business
Invest: Other
Advance-Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
Counterfeit Check Scams
Computers: Equipment\Software
Impostor: Government
Internet Information Services
Telephone: Other
Telemarketing Practices
Property\Inheritance Tracers
Complaints
430
351
285
259
188
173
137
91
91
91
67
62
61
49
30
29
27
22
<20
<20
1“Southeast Asia” includes complaints where consumers reported the company country location as a member of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and
Vietnam. Note it is possible that not all countries have complaints in the system for the period the report covers.
Note: Company country locations appear as reported by consumers and may not reflect where the company is actually located.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 38 of 45
Released June 2015
Econsumer Complaints
Top Consumer and Company Locations
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Consumer Location
United States
Australia
France
United Kingdom
Spain
Canada
India
Brazil
Israel
Belgium
Complaints
8,749
2,036
1,236
719
461
426
297
283
277
172
Company Location
China
United States
United Kingdom
India
Spain
Australia
France
Germany
Canada
Cyprus
Complaints
3,647
3,405
1,123
382
276
244
228
219
179
146
Note: Consumer and company country locations appear as reported by consumers. Company country name may not reflect
where the company is actually located.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 39 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Products or Services for Econsumer Complaints1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
20%
18%
10%
8%
5%
5%
4%
4%
3%
2%
2%
0%
Shop-at-Home\Computers:
Catalog Equipment\
Sales
Software
Credit
Cards
Internet
Auction
Telephone:
Other
Internet
Access
Services
Travel\
Vacations
Banks
Business
Opportunities\
Work-At-Home
Plans
1Percentages are based on the 17,793 econsumer complaints received from January 1 to December 31, 2014.
Top Products or Services for Econsumer Complaints
Calendar Years 2012 through 2014
Product or Service
Shop-at-Home\Catalog Sales
Computers: Equipment\Software
Credit Cards
Internet Auction
Telephone: Other
Internet Access Services
Travel\Vacations
Banks
Business Opportunities\Work-At-Home Plans
Timeshare Sales
Cars
Health Care: Other Products\Supplies
Invest: Other
Jewelry\Watches
CY-2012
2
Complaints Percentages
3,758
16.7%
1,397
6.2%
1,299
5.8%
1,171
5.2%
941
4.2%
730
3.2%
504
2.2%
779
3.5%
361
1.6%
759
3.4%
378
1.7%
490
2.2%
190
0.8%
382
1.7%
CY-2013
2
Complaints Percentages
3,459
14.8%
1,545
6.6%
1,072
4.6%
1,575
6.7%
922
3.9%
805
3.4%
517
2.2%
627
2.7%
478
2.0%
435
1.9%
417
1.8%
614
2.6%
265
1.1%
608
2.6%
CY-2014
2
Complaints Percentages
3,281
18.4%
1,372
7.7%
925
5.2%
894
5.0%
774
4.4%
628
3.5%
539
3.0%
429
2.4%
383
2.2%
349
2.0%
339
1.9%
337
1.9%
298
1.7%
296
1.7%
2Percentages are based on the total number of econsumer complaints reported in each time period: CY-2012 = 22,569;
CY-2013 = 23,436; and CY-2014 = 17,793.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 40 of 45
Released June 2015
Top Alleged Law Violations for Econsumer Complaints1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Other
22%
Merchandise or Service
Received Late
2%
Merchandise or Service
Never Received
18%
Merchandise or Service Not
in Conformity with Order
3%
Failure to Honor Warranty
or Guarantee
3%
Billed for Unordered
Merchandise or Service
4%
Failure to Honor
Refund Policy
13%
Unauthorized Use of
Identity/Account
Information
6%
Defective\
Poor Quality
8%
Other Misrepresentation
11%
Cannot Contact Merchant
10%
1Percentages are based on the 23,608 econsumer law violations reported from January 1 to December 31, 2014.
One complaint may have multiple law violations.
Top Alleged Law Violations for Econsumer Complaints
Calendar Years 2012 through 2014
Law Violation
Merchandise or Service Never Received
Failure to Honor Refund Policy
Other Misrepresentation
Cannot Contact Merchant
Defective/Poor Quality
Unauthorized Use of Identity/Account Information
Billed for Unordered Merchandise or Service
Failure to Honor Warranty or Guarantee
Merchandise or Service Not in Conformity with Order
Merchandise or Service Received Late
CY-2012
CY-2013
CY-2014
2
3
2
3
2
3
Complaints Percentages Complaints Percentages Complaints Percentages
4,166
14.5%
4,864
16.4%
4,206
17.8%
2,863
10.0%
3,248
11.0%
3,111
13.2%
5,158
17.9%
5,691
19.2%
2,568
10.9%
2,268
7.9%
2,435
8.2%
2,360
10.0%
2,001
7.0%
1,886
6.4%
1,852
7.8%
1,402
4.9%
1,200
4.1%
1,297
5.5%
1,261
4.4%
1,088
3.7%
967
4.1%
785
2.7%
830
2.8%
794
3.4%
844
2.9%
822
2.8%
788
3.3%
545
1.9%
649
2.2%
542
2.3%
2Number of complaints reporting each alleged econsumer law violation in each time period. The total number of law violations are more than
the number of complaints reported in each time period because one complaint may have multiple law violations. The total number of
econsumer complaints reported in each time period are: CY-2012 = 22,569; CY-2013 = 23,436; and CY-2014 = 17,793.
3Percentages are based on the total number of alleged econsumer law violations reported in each time period: CY-2012 = 28,750;
CY-2013 = 29,621; and CY-2014 = 23,608. One complaint may have multiple law violations.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 41 of 45
Released June 2015
Appendix A1: The Consumer Sentinel Network
The Consumer Sentinel Network is a free, online database of consumer complaints available only to law
enforcement. It includes complaints about identity theft, fraud, financial transactions, debt collection,
and credit reports, among other subjects. The Consumer Sentinel Network is based on the premise that
sharing information can make law enforcement even more effective. To that end, the Consumer Sentinel
Network provides law enforcement members with access to consumer complaints provided directly to
the FTC, as well as to complaints shared by other data contributors.
www.FTC.gov/Sentinel
The Identity Theft Data Clearinghouse was launched in November 1999 and is the sole national
repository of consumer complaints about identity theft. The Clearinghouse provides specific
investigative material for law enforcement and broader reports that provide insight to both private and
public sector partners on ways to reduce the incidence of identity theft. Information in the
Clearinghouse is available to law enforcement members via the Consumer Sentinel Network. This
access enables law enforcers to readily spot local identity theft problems and to coordinate with other
law enforcement officers where the data reveals common schemes or perpetrators.
www.FTC.gov/idtheft
Econsumer.gov was created in April 2001 to gather and share cross-border e-commerce complaints to
respond to the challenges of multinational Internet fraud, and enhance consumer confidence in ecommerce. Through econsumer.gov, consumers can file cross-border consumer complaints online and
learn about alternative ways to resolve them. All information is available in English, French, German,
Japanese, Korean, Polish, Spanish, and Turkish. Using the existing Consumer Sentinel Network, the
incoming complaints are shared through the government website. In 2014, consumer protection law
enforcers from 32 nations participated in the econsumer.gov network.
www.econsumer.gov
Federal Trade Commission
Page 42 of 45
Released June 2015
Appendix A2: Consumer Sentinel Network Major Data Contributors1
January 1 – December 31, 2014
1Percentages are based on the total number of Consumer Sentinel Network complaints (2,582,851) received between January 1 and
December 31, 2014. The type of complaints provided by the organization is indicated in parentheses.
2For a list of Better Business Bureaus contributing to the Consumer Sentinel Network, see Appendix A4.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 43 of 45
Released June 2015
Appendix A3: Consumer Sentinel Network Data Contributor Details
January 1 – December 31, 2014
CY - 2012
CY - 2013
CY - 2014
1
1
1
Complaints Percentages Complaints Percentages Complaints Percentages
260,982
12%
199,648
9%
229,825
9%
87,265
4%
71,728
3%
96,873
4%
253,316
12%
220,185
10%
267,735
10%
264,575
13%
210,907
10%
210,072
8%
Data Contributors
FTC - "877 ID THEFT"
FTC - Web Complaints IDT
FTC - "877 FTC HELP" (Fraud & Other)
FTC - Web Complaints (Fraud & Other)
2
151,801
7%
246,498
11%
38,517
540,198
1%
21%
Better Business Bureaus
Internet Crime Complaint Center
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Green Dot
State Law Enforcement Agencies
402,567
264,896
84,127
17,334
78,975
19%
13%
4%
1%
4%
445,245
246,710
149,624
91,814
87,993
20%
11%
7%
4%
4%
377,871
225,037
217,009
96,142
81,842
15%
9%
8%
4%
3%
Ohio Attorney General
Washington Attorney General
California Attorney General
North Carolina Department of Justice
Massachusetts Attorney General
Maine Attorney General
19,609
11,312
4,194
17,277
-
1%
1%
<1%
1%
18,032
11,789
11,239
16,360
62
4,815
1%
1%
1%
1%
<1%
<1%
1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
Indiana Attorney General
Oregon Department of Justice
Michigan Attorney General
Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs
Iowa Attorney General
Colorado Attorney General
South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs
Idaho Attorney General
Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection
Montana Department of Justice
Mississippi Attorney General
Nevada Attorney General
Alaska Attorney General
Louisiana Attorney General
4,612
7,763
4,969
2,331
309
975
2,962
1,172
55
379
652
60
344
-
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
5,081
5,557
4,166
3,077
2,339
829
757
855
83
730
515
264
295
1,148
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
15,290
11,275
9,715
8,525
7,514
6,755
4,670
4,498
4,028
2,504
1,832
1,237
935
650
620
538
452
423
257
124
FTC - Mobile Complaints (Fraud & Other)
PrivacyStar
3
Publisher's Clearing House
4
MoneyGram International \ Western Union Money Transfer
MoneyGram International
Western Union Money Transfer
Others
-
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
50,468
2%
56,653
3%
72,733
3%
64,848
3%
65,935
3%
70,057
3%
20,192
44,656
1%
2%
38,253
27,682
2%
1%
41,017
29,040
2%
1%
64,974
3%
57,831
3%
58,940
2%
U.S. Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
National Fraud Information Center
365
21,505
5,825
<1%
1%
<1%
635
17,272
6,798
<1%
1%
<1%
22,136
11,385
9,413
1%
<1%
<1%
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights
11,128
1%
10,930
1%
5,000
<1%
Identity Theft Assistance Center
20,448
1%
17,741
1%
<1%
Canada Competition Bureau
3,975
<1%
2,477
<1%
4,885
1,750
-
1,512
<1%
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
-
-
-
<1%
Los Angeles County Department of Consumer Affairs
815
<1%
726
<1%
926
<1%
Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force
216
<1%
629
671
<1%
U.S. Department of Defense
-
-
16
<1%
<1%
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
U.S. Department of Education
252
46
<1%
<1%
126
59
313
261
210
<1%
<1%
3
<1%
107
40
191
154
<1%
<1%
396
<1%
38
95
<1%
<1%
U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging
Iowa Clinton County Sheriff's Office
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Other Data Contributors
-
124
151
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
<1%
1Percentages are based on the total number of CSN complaints: CY-2012 = 2,112,861; CY-2013 = 2,174,563; and CY-2014 = 2,582,851.
2FTC - Mobile Complaint Assistant was activated in CY-2014.
3For a list of Better Business Bureaus contributing to the Consumer Sentinel Network, see Appendix A4.
4MoneyGram International provides the FTC certain types of complaints that Western Union does not, such as complaints from consumers
outside the United States and information about additional transactions that MoneyGram has linked to a consumer fraud complaint after
investigating the transaction and contacting the sender.
Federal Trade Commission
Page 44 of 45
Released June 2015
Appendix A4: Consumer Sentinel Network
Better Business Bureau Data Contributors
January 1 – December 31, 2014
Alabama, Birmingham
Alabama, Huntsville
Alabama, Mobile
Alberta, Calgary (Canada)
Alberta, Edmonton (Canada)
Arizona, Phoenix
Arizona, Tucson
Arkansas, Little Rock
British Columbia, Vancouver (Canada)
British Columbia, Victoria (Canada)
California, Fresno
California, Oakland
California, Sacramento
California, San Diego
California, San Jose (Silicon Valley)
California, Santa Ana (Orange County)
California, Santa Barbara (Tri-Counties)
Colorado, Colorado Springs
Colorado, Denver
Colorado, Fort Collins
Connecticut, Wallingford
Delaware, Wilmington
District of Columbia, Washington
Florida, Clearwater
Florida, Jacksonville (Northeast Florida)
Florida, Orlando
Florida, Pensacola
Florida, West Palm Beach
Georgia, Atlanta, Athens and Northeast Georgia
Georgia, Columbus
Georgia, Macon
Hawaii, Honolulu
Idaho, Boise
Illinois, Chicago
Illinois, Peoria
Indiana, Evansville
Indiana, Fort Wayne
Indiana, Indianapolis
Iowa, Des Moines
Federal Trade Commission
Kentucky, Lexington
Kentucky, Louisville
Louisiana, Baton Rouge
Louisiana, Lafayette (Acadiana)
Louisiana, Lake Charles
Louisiana, Monroe
Louisiana, New Orleans
Louisiana, Shreveport
Manitoba, Winnipeg (Canada)
Maryland, Baltimore
Massachusetts, Boston
Massachusetts, Worchester
Michigan, Detroit (Eastern)
Michigan, Grand Rapids
Minnesota, Saint Paul
Mississippi, Jackson
Missouri, Kansas City
Missouri, Saint Louis
Missouri, Springfield
Nebraska, Omaha
Nevada, Las Vegas
Nevada, Reno
New Hampshire, Concord
New Jersey, Trenton
New Mexico, Albuquerque
New York, Buffalo
New York, New York City
North Carolina, Asheville
North Carolina, Charlotte
North Carolina, Greensboro
North Carolina, Raleigh
North Carolina, Winston-Salem
Nova Scotia, Halifax (Canada)
Ohio, Akron
Ohio, Canton
Ohio, Cincinnati
Ohio, Cleveland
Ohio, Columbus
Ohio, Dayton
Page 45 of 45
Ohio, Toledo
Ohio, Youngstown
Oklahoma, Oklahoma City
Oklahoma, Tulsa
Ontario, London (Canada)
Ontario, Ottawa (Canada)
Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh
Saskatchewan, Regina (Canada)
South Carolina, Columbia
South Carolina, Greenville
South Carolina, Myrtle Beach
Tennessee, Chattanooga
Tennessee, Knoxville
Tennessee, Memphis
Tennessee, Nashville
Texas, Abilene
Texas, Amarillo
Texas, Austin
Texas, Beaumont
Texas, Brazos Valley (Bryan)
Texas, Dallas
Texas, El Paso
Texas, Fort Worth
Texas, Houston
Texas, Lubbock (South Plains)
Texas, San Angelo
Texas, Tyler
Texas, Wichita Falls
Utah, Salt Lake City
Virginia, Norfolk
Virginia, Richmond
Virginia, Roanoke
Washington, DuPont
Washington, Spokane
Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Released June 2015
This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.