The Federal Trade Commission is looking to raise awareness about identity theft and for good reason. The regulator said reports about any type of identity theft topped the list of consumer complaints submitted to the FTC through the third quarter of 2020.

In an effort to help consumers and the financial services companies that provide them with critical credit resources, this week the FTC is launching Identity Theft Awareness Week. The timeframe includes a series of events to highlight steps consumers can take to help reduce their risk of identity theft and recover if identity theft occurs.

The FTC explained that identity theft happens when someone steals personal information about an individual such as a Social Security Number or credit card information, and uses it to commit fraud, which can happen in auto financing.

As part of Identity Theft Awareness Week, the FTC will participate in webinars and other events to highlight what individuals can do to protect personal information, red-flag warning signs of possible identity theft and steps to take if identity theft happens to you.

The full list of events is available at ftc.gov/IDtheftweek, along with details on how to participate and tips on how to reduce the risk of identity theft.