The Consumer Sentinel Network (CSN) is a secure, webbased platform that aggregates consumer complaint data from a variety of publicsector agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), state attorneys general, and other regulatory bodies. Each complaint is classified according to a hierarchical taxonomy that helps analysts, researchers, and policy makers locate trends, identify systemic problems, and prioritize enforcement actions.
This page explains the subcategory definitions that sit beneath the primary categories in the CSN taxonomy. Understanding these subcategories enables users to interpret data more accurately, create precise queries, and produce reports that reflect the nuances of consumer experiences.
Primary Categories
The CSN taxonomy is organized into six highlevel categories. Within each category, a set of subcategories provides detailed context:
Credit and Debt
Identity Theft
Telecommunications
Retail and Ecommerce
Travel and Hospitality
Other Consumer Issues
Each primary category contains between five and twelve subcategories, which are outlined in the next section.
Subcategory Definitions
1. Credit and Debt
Subcategory
Definition
Credit Reporting Errors
Inaccurate information on a consumers credit report, including wrong balances, latepayment flags, or accounts that do not belong to the consumer.
Debt Collection Abuse
Violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, such as harassment, false statements, or illegal court filings.
Credit Card Misselling
Misleading or deceptive practices when marketing credit cards, including hidden fees or undisclosed terms.
Loan Origination Fraud
Scams involving false promises of loan approval, inflated fees, or nonexistent lenders.
Student Loan Issues
Complaints about loan servicing, repayment plans, or illegal collection activities related to highereducation financing.
2. Identity Theft
Subcategory
Definition
Account Takeover
Unauthorized access to existing accounts, leading to fraudulent transactions or changes in account settings.
New Account Fraud
Criminals open accounts in a consumers name using stolen personal information.
Synthetic Identity Theft
Combination of real and fabricated data to create a fictitious identity used for fraud.
Medical Identity Theft
Use of a consumers personal data to obtain medical services, prescriptions, or insurance benefits.
Data Breach Exposure
Complaints arising from a thirdparty breach that exposed personal information.
3. Telecommunications
Subcategory
Definition
Billing Errors
Incorrect charges, double billing, or failure to apply promised discounts.
Service Interruption
Unexplained loss of phone, internet, or cable service beyond the providers stated policies.
Contractual Misrepresentation
False statements about speed, data caps, or promotional offers.
Unauthorized Equipment Charges
Fees for equipment the consumer never purchased or did not authorize.
DoNotCall Violations
Calls made to numbers listed on the DoNotCall Registry despite clear optout.
4. Retail and Ecommerce
Subcategory
Definition
NonDelivery of Goods
Purchased items never arrive, with no reasonable explanation or refund.
Defective Products
Products that fail to work as advertised or break shortly after purchase.
False Advertising
Misleading claims about product features, price, or availability.
Refund / Return Denial
Retailer refuses a legitimate refund or return request in violation of policy.
Subscription Traps
Consumers unintentionally enrolled in recurring billing programs.
5. Travel and Hospitality
Subcategory
Definition
Booking Fraud
Scams where travelers pay for reservations that do not exist or are never honored.
Hidden Fees
Charges added after booking, such as resort fees, baggage surcharges, or mandatory upgrades.
Accommodation Misrepresentation
Ads that overstate room quality, amenities, or location.
Airline Overbooking
Passengers denied boarding despite having confirmed tickets and no proper compensation.
Cruise Line Issues
Complaints about itinerary changes, onboard service failures, or inadequate refunds.
6. Other Consumer Issues
Subcategory
Definition
Health Care Billing
Incorrect medical bills, surprise balancebilling, or unapproved procedures.
Utilities Service Problems
Improper disconnections, meter reading errors, or unfair rate hikes.
EmploymentRelated Scams
Fake job postings that harvest personal data or require upfront fees.
Charitable Donation Fraud
Solicitations that misrepresent the use of funds or are operated by nonexistent charities.
Warranty & Service Contract Abuse
Denial of covered repairs, ambiguous terms, or deceptive renewal practices.
Using the Definitions Effectively
When working with CSN data, follow these best practices to ensure your analysis reflects the intended meaning of each subcategory:
Exact Matching: Use the official subcategory name as it appears in the taxonomy to avoid mismatches.
Combine with Primary Category: Always include the primary category in queries; some subcategory terms appear in more than one primary category.
Temporal Filters: Subcategory trends can shift quickly. Apply date ranges to capture relevant periods (e.g., postpandemic spikes in Subscription Traps).
CrossReference Sources: Verify complaints against agencyspecific datasets for additional context, such as FTC enforcement actions.
Document Assumptions: If you aggregate subcategories (e.g., combining Billing Errors and Hidden Fees under a broader Pricing Issues umbrella), clearly state the rationale.
This file is just a reference file for Consumer Sentinel Network Subcategory Definitions. Does not guarantee that the specific things you want are included in it.
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