Definition[]
The Consumer Sentinel is a secure, online database maintained by the Federal Trade Commission, which contains consumer fraud complaints filed with federal, state, local, and foreign law enforcement agencies and private organizations. It contains over 7 million complaints dating from calendar year 2007 through calendar year 2011.
The database is available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States and abroad. Enforcers search the database to research cases, track targets, and identify victims.
Historical background[]
In 1997, the Federal Trade Commission established Consumer Sentinel. Through a secure website, law enforcement officials can access data that provide information about particular wrongdoers and show trends at the local, national and international levels. The site also offers access to a wealth of other information, a secure way to communicate with others online, and automatic updates.
The database also houses the Identity Theft Data Clearinghouse, the only U.S. national repository of consumer complaints about identity theft.