Identity theft was the top consumer complaint for 2009, according to the "Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book from the Federal Trade Commission. It was also the top complaint from the year before, although 5 percent fewer consumers reported it in 2009, the Commission said. Overall, of the 1.3 million complaints the agency received last year, 21 percent were for identity theft.

Debt collection agencies ranked second, with 9 percent of complaints, the report said. Credit card fraud was the top complaint when it comes to identity theft, followed by fraud related to government benefits, utilities, phones and loans.