U.S. identity theft statistics 2024

Which states in the U.S. have the most identity theft?

According to the FTC’s “2023 Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book,” Georgia saw the highest number of ID theft reports per capita in 2023.2 There were 457 reported cases per 100,000 residents in Georgia last year — a roughly 20% decline from 2022.3 Florida, second on the list, had 438 reports per capita, and Nevada ranked third with 404 per 100,000 people. The top states for ID theft per capita in 2023 are as follows:

1. Georgia
2. Florida
3. Nevada
4. Connecticut
5. Delaware
6. Massachusetts
7. Texas
8. Pennsylvania
9. Illinois
10. California

Which metro areas report the most ID theft cases?

In 2023, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Florida, metropolitan statistical area saw the most reported instances of ID theft per capita, with 729 cases per 100,000 residents. That was almost 21% more than the location with the second-highest rate of ID theft cases reported to the FTC in 2023, the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, Georgia, metro area (604 cases per capita). Metro areas ranking for the highest number of identity theft reports in 2023 are the following:

1. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Florida
2. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, Georgia
3. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
4. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas
5. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nevada
6. Savannah, Georgia
7. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Delaware-Maryland
8. Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, Connecticut
9. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California
10. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida

Who’s most vulnerable to ID theft?

Of the 917,315 identity theft reports in 2023 that included a victim’s age, 30- to 39-year-olds made up 29.8%. This group reported more cases of every type of ID theft than any other age range (with credit card theft vastly outnumbering other types, followed by “other” ID theft, a broad category that includes using someone else’s information to create an email or social media account or to get medical care).

It's worth noting, however, that 30- to 39-year-olds made up the largest percentage of Americans in 2022, with 30-somethings accounting for almost 13.7% of the U.S. population that year. Still, on a per-capita basis, 30- to 39-year-olds reported ID theft at a higher rate than any other age group: an estimated 599 cases per 100,000 people. Those in their 40s reported ID theft at the second-highest rate (482 cases per 100,000).

Similarly to ID theft, 30- to 39-year-olds reported more cases of fraud than any other age group in 2023, with nearly 202,000 cases reported to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network. Following closely, 60- to 69-year-olds reported more than 199,000 cases of fraud. The 60-something age group led in terms of money stolen due to fraud — $980 million lost in 2023 alone.

Most common types of ID theft in 2023

Credit card fraud was the most common type of ID theft in 2023, with 416,582 cases reported to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network. This type of fraud, which accounted for about 40% of more than 1 million ID theft reports in 2023, involves thieves using an individual’s personal information to either steal from an existing credit card account or to open a new one in the victim’s name.

“Other” identity theft made up about 25% of all reports in 2023. This category includes using someone’s personal identifying information to commit fraud related to online shopping, payment accounts, emails and social media, medical services, insurance and more.

People in their 30s reported the most of each type of fraud. Americans 80 years old and over, the smallest population of any age group, reported the fewest cases in several categories. Those ages 19 and younger reported the fewest instances of bank, phone or utilities, credit card and loan- or lease-related ID theft.

There were also 39,046 identity theft reports from military consumers, primarily veterans and military retirees in 2023. Credit card-related ID theft was the most common type of identity theft reported by military consumers, followed by that associated with bank accounts.

How do identity thieves get our information?

Phishing, which can involve a thief impersonating an individual’s acquaintance or employer to ask for passwords or other sensitive information and ransomware were among the most common categories of cyberattacks leading to data breaches in 2023, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center’s 2023 annual data breach report. These attacks can involve phishing attempts and social engineering scams targeted at specific businesses. The number of data compromises in the U.S. reached a record high last year, with more than 3,200 compromises that affected over 353 million victims, including those affected by multiple cyberattacks and data breaches. Some of the most high-profile incidents involved companies, such as T-Mobile and Xfinity, that had millions of customers affected.

How to prevent ID theft

Unfortunately, most people in today’s financial world are vulnerable to identity theft. Once someone has your Social Security number, for instance, they might have enough information to access your bank accounts.

FTC data suggests that ID thieves' preferred method of contact in 2023 was email, followed by phone call and texting.

Over the last year, among fraud reports with a contact method identified, email was most common, accounting for 24% of total reports, the FTC report says. Fraud through phone calls (20%) and text messaging (15%) was also common.

Whether you’re texting, calling, emailing, using social media or just browsing the internet, be vigilant in protecting your privacy — and your identity. The FTC recommends employing two-factor authentication and unique passwords, especially for email and online bank accounts. The federal government includes a list of recommendations to protect yourself from fraud, including the following:

• Avoid answering calls, texts and online messages from people you do not know.
• Do not share personal information, such as bank account number, Social Security number or date of birth.
• Review your credit card and bank statements for any suspicious activity.

When you’re online, use secure websites (these start with “https”) and keep your private information off public servers and computers.

Identity thieves can steal your information through phishing, a stolen wallet or purse, skimmers on ATM machines or cash registers and via unsecure public Wi-Fi networks. The warning signs of ID theft include bills for items you did not buy, debt collection calls for accounts you did not open and denied loan applications.

To protect yourself, you can also freeze your credit report with the three major credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — so no one can use your credit to their advantage. There are also services that let you monitor your credit and alert you to any suspicious activity.

Are solutions coming?

In March 2023, the White House proposed spending $600 million on fraud and identity theft prevention measures and $400 million to help victims of identity theft. The largest pot of funds made available for addressing identity theft comes from the American Rescue Plan Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law in 2021. This law established $1.6 billion for states to modernize and improve access for unemployment insurance systems and prevent fraud and identity theft, with $380 million earmarked for anti-fraud grants and identity theft prevention.

The Identity Theft Resource Center, a national nonprofit that works to mitigate identity theft, predicts that in 2024, an increasing number of identity crimes will lead to more adoption of biometric-based identity verification tools, which can include fingerprints and retinal scans. The center also predicts more states will adopt comprehensive data privacy and security laws but that Congress’ legislation on the subject will remain in limbo.

Bottom line

We live in a hyperconnected world, bound not only to smartphones and computers but also smart vehicles, smart homes and even smart cities. Hackers are always lurking, often finding weaknesses in our supposedly secure networks.

The jump in ID theft reports over the last two decades is significant, but between 2021 and 2023, the number of identity theft cases reported to the FTC have decreased by approximately 28%, providing some hope for the next few years — even as AI poses new risks for potential identity crimes.

If your identity is stolen, be sure to report it on the FTC’s IdentityTheft.gov website and — if you’re a victim of cybercrime — to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Also, check out the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center for tips for prevention and other security best practices.

References

1. “Identity Theft.” U.S. Department of Justice. Evaluated March 20, 2024.Link Here
2. “Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2023.” Federal Trade Commission. Evaluated March 20, 2024.Link Here
3. “Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2022.” Federal Trade Commission. Evaluated March 20, 2024.Link Here
4. “National Population by Characteristics: 2020-2023.” U.S. Census Bureau. Evaluated March 20, 2024.Link Here
5. “Identity Theft Resource Center’s 2023 Data Breach Report.” Identity Theft Resource Center. Evaluated March 21, 2024.Link Here
6. “Phishing.” Federal Trade Commission. Evaluated March 21, 2024.Link Here
7. “Identity theft.” USAGov. Evaluated March 21, 2024.Link Here
8. “FACT SHEET: President Biden’s Sweeping Pandemic Anti-Fraud Proposal: Going After Systemic Fraud, Taking on Identity Theft, Helping Victims.” The White House. Evaluated March 21, 2024.Link Here
9. “Identity Theft Resource Center 2024 Predictions.” Identity Theft Resource Center. Evaluated March 21, 2024.Link Here
10. “Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2021.” Federal Trade Commission. Evaluated March 21, 2024.Link Here
11. “Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2018.” Federal Trade Commission. Evaluated March 21, 2024.Link Here