Consumer protection services unavailable during government shutdown

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history is taking a toll on consumers looking for help.

The Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, offers free credit reports and maintains the "Do Not Call" Registry and helps with identity theft and scams, but since the government shut down some of the FTC's most frequently used services are no longer available.

The National "Do Not Call" registry can cut down the number of unwanted telemarketing calls coming to your phone. The site also allows consumers to report specific phone numbers that may be calling them illegally.

Right now, the website donotcall.gov has a message explaining that because of the government shutdown, those services are not being offered.

The identity theft reporting section of the FTC site is also shut down.

Typically consumers can go to the site to file a report then get the paperwork they need to prove to banks and other businesses that someone stole their identity. The website is also used to create an identity theft recovery plan.

While the main site identitytheft.gov is currently closed, there are brochures and other free resources still available.