Scam artists pilfered over $18 million from Tennesseans in 2018, making the Volunteer State the nation's fifth-leading state per capita when it comes to complaints about fraud and other scams, according to a new report by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Reports of identity theft also grew in a year's time, moving Tennessee to 21st in the country in 2018.

The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance's (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs, who are highlighting consumer education during National Consumer Protection Week, going on now, urged Tennesseans to renew their efforts to protect their families by learning the "red flags" that might indicate a scammer's activity and to always report suspected fraud to local law enforcement.

The FTC found Tennessee's top three complaint areas (debt collection, imposter scams and identity theft) remained unchanged since the 2017 report.