States Where Identity Theft Runs Rampant
Imagine coming home from a long day’s work, and as you’re going through the mail, you see a letter from a law firm. After opening it, you realize that you’re being sued for an outstanding debt by a credit card company you never use. At that moment, the phone rings — it’s a bill collector, seeking payment from you for a different outstanding debt that you never incurred. What is going on?
Sadly, this scenario — along with other identity theft scams — affected nearly 3 million people in 2018, according to the Consumer Sentinel Network, which is an online Federal Trade Commission database. To drill down into which states are the most prone to identity theft, GOBankingRates used information from the 2018 Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book to find state-by-state trends about the frequency and type of identity theft scams.
Some of the data turned out to be eye-opening. For example, New York didn’t rank in the top 10 for identity theft in terms of consumer reports per 100,000 residents. In fact, the Peach State was actually the worst in the nation. Overall, the most common types of identity theft include credit card fraud, phone or utilities fraud, employment or tax-related fraud, government documents and benefits fraud and more. As evidenced in the study, however, certain types of fraud are more common in individual states.
Identity theft is a painful but important problem to deal with because it can have far-reaching and devastating effects. A fraudster with your identity can impersonate you, open accounts in your name and even drain your bank accounts. While you shouldn’t have an irrational fear of identity theft, you should take proactive steps to help prevent it:
Change your passwords often.
Don’t share your personal information.
Shred important documents when you dispose of them.
Install appropriate antivirus and security software on all of your devices.
And if you live in one of the worst states for identity theft, you may want to practice extra diligence and look into getting identity theft protection services.
Last updated: Oct. 27, 2020
1. Georgia
Reports per 100,000 residents: 229
Number of reports: 23,871
Top identity theft types:
Other identity theft: 40%
Credit card fraud: 36%
Loan or lease fraud: 20%
Phone or utilities fraud: 14%
Bank fraud: 8%
2. Nevada
Reports per 100,000 residents: 194
Number of reports: 5,816
Top identity theft types:
Other identity theft: 41%
Credit card fraud: 29%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 14%
Bank fraud: 12%
Phone or utilities fraud: 11%
3. California
Reports per 100,000 residents: 186
Number of reports: 73,668
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 41%
Other identity theft: 30%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 15%
Phone or utilities fraud: 10%
Bank fraud: 10%
4. Florida
Reports per 100,000 residents: 180
Number of reports: 37,797
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 42%
Other identity theft: 27%
Bank fraud: 14%
Phone or utilities fraud: 13%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 12%
5. Texas
Reports per 100,000 residents: 159
Number of reports: 45,030
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 33%
Other identity theft: 26%
Loan or lease fraud: 19%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 17%
Phone or utilities fraud: 14%
6. Delaware
Reports per 100,000 residents: 158
Number of reports: 1,517
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 35%
Phone or utilities fraud: 30%
Other identity theft: 19%
Loan or lease fraud: 14%
Bank fraud: 10%
7. Maryland
Reports per 100,000 residents: 145
Number of reports: 8,747
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 37%
Other identity theft: 29%
Phone or utilities fraud: 16%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 14%
Bank fraud: 11%
8. Michigan
Reports per 100,000 residents: 140
Number of reports: 13,952
Top identity theft types:
Other identity theft: 23%
Credit card fraud: 23%
Government documents or benefits fraud: 23%
Phone or utilities fraud: 17%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 15%
9. Illinois
Reports per 100,000 residents: 127
Number of reports: 16,296
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 37%
Other identity theft: 23%
Phone or utilities fraud: 19%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 15%
Loan or lease fraud: 12%
10. Arizona
Reports per 100,000 residents: 126
Number of reports: 8,853
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 30%
Other identity theft: 26%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 24%
Phone or utilities fraud: 14%
Bank fraud: 13%
11. South Carolina
Reports per 100,000 residents: 126
Number of reports: 6,339
Top identity theft types:
Other identity theft: 36%
Credit card fraud: 30%
Loan or lease fraud: 18%
Phone or utilities fraud: 17%
Bank fraud: 11%
12. New Jersey
Reports per 100,000 residents: 125
Number of reports: 11,273
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 46%
Other identity theft: 21%
Phone or utilities fraud: 15%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 12%
Bank fraud: 11%
13. New York
Reports per 100,000 residents: 122
Number of reports: 24,248
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 42%
Other identity theft: 23%
Phone or utilities fraud: 14%
Bank fraud: 13%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 12%
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14. New Hampshire
Reports per 100,000 residents: 117
Number of reports: 1,565
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 42%
Phone or utilities fraud: 34%
Other identity theft: 16%
Bank fraud: 11%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 7%
15. North Carolina
Reports per 100,000 residents: 112
Number of reports: 11,481
Top identity theft types:
Other identity theft: 32%
Credit card fraud: 31%
Phone or utilities fraud: 15%
Loan or lease fraud: 14%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 13%
16. Louisiana
Reports per 100,000 residents: 111
Number of reports: 5,202
Top identity theft types:
Other identity theft: 34%
Credit card fraud: 31%
Loan or lease fraud: 20%
Phone or utilities fraud: 17%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 13%
17. Colorado
Reports per 100,000 residents: 110
Number of reports: 6,151
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 34%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 21%
Other identity theft: 21%
Phone or utilities fraud: 18%
Bank fraud: 15%
18. Connecticut
Reports per 100,000 residents: 108
Number of reports: 3,864
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 40%
Phone or utilities fraud: 21%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 18%
Other identity theft: 17%
Bank fraud: 13%
19. Alabama
Reports per 100,000 residents: 108
Number of reports: 5,241
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 32%
Other identity theft: 29%
Phone or utilities fraud: 18%
Loan or lease fraud: 17%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 16%
20. Pennsylvania
Reports per 100,000 residents: 107
Number of reports: 13,725
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 37%
Other identity theft: 26%
Phone or utilities fraud: 21%
Bank fraud: 12%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 12%
21. Tennessee
Reports per 100,000 residents: 101
Number of reports: 6,808
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 33%
Other identity theft: 32%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 14%
Loan or lease fraud: 14%
Bank fraud: 13%
22. Oregon
Reports per 100,000 residents: 101
Number of reports: 4,179
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 33%
Phone or utilities fraud: 21%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 18%
Other identity theft: 18%
Bank fraud: 16%
23. Washington
Reports per 100,000 residents: 100
Number of reports: 7,380
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 37%
Other identity theft: 21%
Bank fraud: 20%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 17%
Phone or utilities fraud: 12%
24. Mississippi
Reports per 100,000 residents: 97
Number of reports: 2,894
Top identity theft types:
Other identity theft: 32%
Credit card fraud: 28%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 21%
Loan or lease fraud: 19%
Phone or utilities fraud: 13%
25. Virginia
Reports per 100,000 residents: 97
Number of reports: 8,196
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 36%
Other identity theft: 28%
Phone or utilities fraud: 14%
Bank fraud: 14%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 13%
26. New Mexico
Reports per 100,000 residents: 96
Number of reports: 2,000
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 27%
Other identity theft: 24%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 21%
Phone or utilities fraud: 18%
Bank fraud: 15%
27. Utah
Reports per 100,000 residents: 94
Number of reports: 2,915
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 32%
Other identity theft: 25%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 21%
Loan or lease fraud: 15%
Bank fraud: 12%
28. Rhode Island
Reports per 100,000 residents: 93
Number of reports: 990
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 38%
Other identity theft: 24%
Phone or utilities fraud: 17%
Bank fraud: 14%
Loan or lease fraud: 11%
29. Massachusetts
Reports per 100,000 residents: 93
Number of reports: 6,387
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 40%
Other identity theft: 23%
Phone or utilities fraud: 15%
Bank fraud: 14%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 14%
30. Ohio
Reports per 100,000 residents: 88
Number of reports: 10,268
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 32%
Other identity theft: 25%
Phone or utilities fraud: 18%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 14%
Bank fraud: 13%
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31. Missouri
Reports per 100,000 residents: 85
Number of reports: 5,222
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 32%
Other identity theft: 27%
Bank fraud: 16%
Phone or utilities fraud: 15%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 15%
32. Idaho
Reports per 100,000 residents: 80
Number of reports: 1,368
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 31%
Other identity theft: 25%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 16%
Loan or lease fraud: 14%
Bank fraud: 14%
33. Oklahoma
Reports per 100,000 residents: 79
Number of reports: 3,109
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 32%
Other identity theft: 25%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 21%
Bank fraud: 15%
Phone or utilities fraud: 13%
34. Montana
Reports per 100,000 residents: 76
Number of reports: 799
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 33%
Phone or utilities fraud: 28%
Other identity theft: 19%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 17%
Bank fraud: 10%
35. Indiana
Reports per 100,000 residents: 74
Number of reports: 4,918
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 30%
Other identity theft: 26%
Phone or utilities fraud: 20%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 16%
Bank fraud: 13%
36. Kansas
Reports per 100,000 residents: 74
Number of reports: 2,142
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 36%
Other identity theft: 21%
Bank fraud: 19%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 17%
Phone or utilities fraud: 13%
37. Arkansas
Reports per 100,000 residents: 73
Number of reports: 2,197
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 30%
Other identity theft: 24%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 19%
Phone or utilities fraud: 17%
Bank fraud: 14%
38. Minnesota
Reports per 100,000 residents: 73
Number of reports: 4,070
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 40%
Other identity theft: 21%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 16%
Bank fraud: 15%
Phone or utilities fraud: 13%
39. Hawaii
Reports per 100,000 residents: 72
Number of reports: 1,021
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 42%
Other identity theft: 29%
Bank fraud: 17%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 10%
Phone or utilities fraud: 9%
40. Alaska
Reports per 100,000 residents: 69
Number of reports: 507
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 38%
Other identity theft: 24%
Phone or utilities fraud: 19%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 15%
Bank fraud: 15%
41. Nebraska
Reports per 100,000 residents: 67
Number of reports: 1,281
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 33%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 23%
Other identity theft: 22%
Bank fraud: 19%
Phone or utilities fraud: 10%
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42. Wisconsin
Reports per 100,000 residents: 64
Number of reports: 3,731
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 32%
Other identity theft: 24%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 20%
Bank fraud: 13%
Phone or utilities fraud: 13%
43. North Dakota
Reports per 100,000 residents: 63
Number of reports: 474
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 34%
Phone or utilities fraud: 25%
Other identity theft: 19%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 16%
Bank fraud: 11%
44. Wyoming
Reports per 100,000 residents: 58
Number of reports: 338
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 32%
Other identity theft: 24%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 20%
Bank fraud: 13%
Phone or utilities fraud: 13%
45. West Virginia
Reports per 100,000 residents: 58
Number of reports: 1,051
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 33%
Other identity theft: 22%
Phone or utilities fraud: 19%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 16%
Bank fraud: 15%
46. Kentucky
Reports per 100,000 residents: 57
Number of reports: 2,522
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 35%
Other identity theft: 23%
Phone or utilities fraud: 17%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 16%
Bank fraud: 15%
47. South Dakota
Reports per 100,000 residents: 56
Number of reports: 486
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 32%
Phone or utilities fraud: 24%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 16%
Other identity theft: 16%
Bank fraud: 15%
48. Maine
Reports per 100,000 residents: 56
Number of reports: 744
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 33%
Other identity theft: 19%
Government documents or benefits fraud: 17%
Bank fraud: 15%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 12%
49. Iowa
Reports per 100,000 residents: 53
Number of reports: 1,654
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 38%
Other identity theft: 20%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 16%
Bank fraud: 16%
Phone or utilities fraud: 15%
50. Vermont
Reports per 100,000 residents: 51
Number of reports: 316
Top identity theft types:
Credit card fraud: 39%
Other identity theft: 19%
Bank fraud: 17%
Phone or utilities fraud: 16%
Employment or tax-related fraud: 13%
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All information was sourced from the Federal Trade Commission’s 2018 Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book and verified on Nov. 25, 2019.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: States Where Identity Theft Runs Rampant
