The Federal Trade Commission released its annual report last month on the top consumer fraud complaints for 2007.

The report, "Consumer Fraud and Identity Theft Complaint Data January-December 2007," shows that identity theft remains the No. 1 consumer complaint category for the seventh year in a row, accounting for 32 percent of the more than 800,000 complaints received.

Credit card fraud remains the most common type of identity theft reported nationally, followed by utilities, employment and bank fraud.

After identity theft, the top categories of complaints are shop-at-home/catalog sales (8 percent); Internet services (5 percent); foreign money offers (4 percent); prizes, sweepstakes and lotteries (4 percent); computer equipment/software (3 percent); and Internet auctions (3 percent).

Health care claims; travel, vacations, and timeshares; advance-fee loans and credit protection/repair; investments; and magazine and buyers clubs each garner a 2 percent share of the complaints.

Rounding out the complaint list (each at 1 percent or less) were business opportunities and work-at-home plans; real estate; office supplies and services; telephone services; employment agencies/job counsel/overseas work; debt management/credit counseling; multi-level marketing/pyramids/chain letters; and charitable solicitations.

The data come from the Consumer Sentinel database, which maintains information on consumer complaints filed with the FTC and law enforcement and consumer protection agencies.

Based on complaints per 100,000 population, Illinois ranks No. 18 and Indiana ranks No. 23 among the states for fraud complaints. As to identity theft victims, Illinois ranks No. 11, with Indiana holding the No. 26 spot.

The full report is available at www.consumer.gov/sentinel.

Opinions expressed solely are those of the writer. Joseph Pellicciotti is a lawyer, professor and associate vice chancellor at Indiana University Northwest.