By Simone Herbin

Nothing brings a couple together like the mutual violation of identity theft.

Husband and wife, Max and Valerie Groysman, have a thick folder filled with bills, letters, and bank statements from years of rigorously recording all of their financial transactions to fend off continuous attempts to steal their identities.

Ten years ago, Valerie Groysman started getting bank statements for credit cards she never applied for. She switched banks and the problem was resolved. When Washington Mutual, her new bank, merged with Chase, her old bank, it started all over again. This time, a thief was able to buy a $5000 watch.

They now constantly check their bank accounts.

“It’s frustrating,” said Max Groysman. “I shouldn’t have to do this.”

The couple’s story was one of many used to illustrate financial scams running rampant in the city at a press conference at the U.S. Customs House today by the Federal Trade Commission, and other consumer protection organizations to kick off National Consumer Week.

The groups released an analysis of consumer complaints, with identity theft, aggressive debt collection agencies, and pricey financial services topping the lists.

“Fraud is one sector of the economy that never seems to suffer from recession,” said Leonard Gordon, regional director of the Northeast Region Federal Trade Commission.

The FTC received 70,360 consumer fraud complaints in New York State. The recession has left consumers desperate for a way to stop the hemorrhaging of their bank accounts and foreclosure on their homes.

Claire Rosenzweig, president Better Business Bureau, said most complaints concerned financial services, mainly problems with third-party debt collectors and loan-modification agencies.

Geraldine Fequine, a Brooklyn resident, received letter after letter from an agency, Modification of America, about restructuring her mortgage after she was denied refinancing from her bank.

She contacted the agency and a representative made a late night visit to her home and pressured her to pay a fee for the service. She later found a $2000 charge to her credit cards. She was able to get back half of the payment but still hasn’t been able to get a full refund.

Recent increases in credit card fees and charges sparked a 90 percent spike in credit card-related complaints in 2009, according to the Bureau. There were also more complaints about work-at-home scams.

Gordon suggested consumers avoid giving personal information over the phone and online. He urged people to thoroughly check their bank statements and beware of quick-fix scams that seem too good to be true.