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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- It's the kind of ranking the state wishes it didn't have.

Colorado ranks as the state with the second-most scam victims.

The rankings were compiled by the Federal Trade Commission. It shows only people who live in Nevada and Washington D.C. are scammed more than Coloradans, though Washington D.C. is not an official U.S. state.

Colorado received 25,497 identity theft, fraud and other consumer complaints in 2009.

The number of fraud complaints and identity thefts are among the highest in the nation. While local consumer advocates are not happy about the rankings, they said it's hard to pinpoint why Coloradans make such easy targets.

"I'm not surprised we are the the top in a lot of things," Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado spokesperson Katie Carrol said.

Colorado Springs ranks number 11 in the country for metropolitan areas with the most fraud complaints.  Greeley, Boulder and Fort Collins are also in the top 15.

She went through the rankings with us to try and help us understand why Colorado is such an attractive place for scammers.

"In terms of Southern Colorado and Colorado Springs, I can see why, because we have such a huge number of military, and most of those are young people," Carrol said.

Here are some of the most basic tips from experts to avoid being a victim.

"Don't give out any personal information whatsoever," Carrol said. "Of course not you social security number, but not even your address. Don't confirm that. Don't confirm your phone number. It's nobody's business," Carrol said.

Carrol said the easiest way for a crook to trick you is right inside your computer.

"If you get an e-mail from anybody you don't know, just delete it," Carrol said "It's not worth it."

Carrol said no one is immune to getting scammed, even people who work at the Better Business Bureau.

"I've been scammed before," Carrol said. "There was some kind of great face cream to make all your wrinkles go away, and it was just a trial offer, but I could not get them to stop billing. I don't think it's a question of intellect, I think it's a question of trust and wanting to think the best of people."

Carrol said one of the best tips is an old piece of wisdom: if it looks too good to be true, it is.

Have you or anyone you know ever been the victim of a scam?