In recent years, significant data breaches have compromised many Americans’ personal information. U.S. consumers reported losing 30% more money due to fraud last year compared to the previous year, totaling nearly $8.8 million in losses nationwide. This year, the data breach of the MOVEit file transfer platform has already impacted over 2,600 organizations and upwards of 83 million individuals worldwide, and the list continues to grow. Several big companies and organizations were victims of this attack, from finance companies to professional services and education providers.
Each new year brings new strategies by identity thieves and fraudsters, but older schemes, such as tech support scams and fake IRS calls, still abound. Some Americans are more susceptible than others to such crimes, however. In order to determine who is most likely to be exposed to and affected by identity theft and fraud, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 14 key metrics. Our data set ranges from identity theft complaints per capita to the average loss due to fraud.
Cassandra Happe, WalletHub Analyst
Main Findings
States With the Most Identity Theft & Fraud
Overall Rank* | State | Total Score | Identity Theft Rank | Fraud Rank | Policy Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | District of Columbia | 74.96 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
2 | Delaware | 73.83 | 11 | 1 | 32 |
3 | Florida | 72.09 | 4 | 3 | 32 |
4 | Nevada | 70.91 | 6 | 4 | 19 |
5 | Georgia | 67.91 | 2 | 5 | 41 |
6 | South Carolina | 63.96 | 8 | 7 | 13 |
7 | Maryland | 62.85 | 1 | 17 | 37 |
8 | California | 61.70 | 3 | 11 | 41 |
9 | Virginia | 59.64 | 10 | 8 | 51 |
10 | Texas | 58.71 | 7 | 22 | 41 |
11 | Alabama | 58.59 | 19 | 9 | 13 |
12 | North Carolina | 58.21 | 13 | 16 | 19 |
13 | New Jersey | 56.77 | 20 | 19 | 3 |
14 | Pennsylvania | 56.69 | 27 | 12 | 3 |
15 | Michigan | 55.40 | 12 | 24 | 26 |
16 | Mississippi | 54.76 | 14 | 26 | 13 |
17 | Arizona | 54.30 | 24 | 13 | 48 |
18 | Missouri | 53.79 | 23 | 30 | 3 |
19 | Hawaii | 53.57 | 15 | 29 | 26 |
20 | New York | 52.70 | 22 | 23 | 41 |
21 | Connecticut | 52.26 | 16 | 32 | 32 |
22 | Vermont | 52.05 | 17 | 34 | 19 |
23 | Tennessee | 51.74 | 35 | 15 | 19 |
24 | Louisiana | 51.69 | 9 | 46 | 41 |
25 | Massachusetts | 51.65 | 18 | 41 | 3 |
26 | South Dakota | 51.61 | 39 | 10 | 3 |
27 | Maine | 51.53 | 21 | 36 | 13 |
28 | Oregon | 51.25 | 40 | 6 | 37 |
29 | Utah | 51.02 | 26 | 25 | 41 |
30 | Minnesota | 49.28 | 36 | 20 | 26 |
31 | New Hampshire | 49.09 | 34 | 28 | 13 |
32 | Idaho | 48.78 | 29 | 42 | 3 |
33 | Colorado | 48.62 | 38 | 18 | 19 |
34 | North Dakota | 48.50 | 45 | 14 | 3 |
35 | Kentucky | 48.15 | 28 | 39 | 19 |
36 | Indiana | 47.88 | 25 | 45 | 32 |
37 | Nebraska | 47.49 | 43 | 21 | 11 |
38 | Washington | 47.45 | 33 | 31 | 37 |
39 | Ohio | 46.76 | 30 | 47 | 13 |
40 | Arkansas | 46.74 | 31 | 33 | 48 |
41 | West Virginia | 46.63 | 32 | 49 | 1 |
42 | Illinois | 45.65 | 37 | 27 | 48 |
43 | Wyoming | 42.57 | 42 | 44 | 3 |
44 | Wisconsin | 41.98 | 46 | 37 | 11 |
45 | Oklahoma | 40.90 | 44 | 40 | 26 |
46 | Alaska | 40.38 | 48 | 35 | 26 |
47 | Montana | 40.20 | 41 | 43 | 41 |
48 | New Mexico | 39.25 | 49 | 38 | 19 |
49 | Iowa | 36.41 | 47 | 48 | 37 |
50 | Rhode Island | 30.13 | 50 | 50 | 32 |
51 | Kansas | 28.71 | 51 | 51 | 26 |
Note: *No. 1 = Most Vulnerable
With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that state, where a rank of 1 represents the worst conditions for that metric category.
In-Depth Look at the Most Vulnerable Places
District of Columbia
The District of Columbia, the seat of our nation’s government, is also alarmingly vulnerable to identity theft and fraud – more so than any of the 50 states, in fact. D.C. had a staggering 1,747 fraud complaints per 100,000 residents last year, more than anywhere else in the nation (and around 200 more than Georgia in second place).
One key reason why the District of Columbia is so vulnerable is that it unfortunately lacks key laws to protect consumers when it comes to things like data disposal, phishing, spyware and more. It’s a bit ironic that the place where all lawmakers meet hasn’t passed these important laws for its own residents.
Delaware
Delaware ranks second for vulnerability to identity theft and fraud, and one contributing factor is that it experienced a nearly 7% increase in fraud complaints per 100,000 residents year-over-year in 2022, the second highest in the nation. The median amount of money lost to fraud in the state is also very high, at $700.
Delaware is putting fraudsters behind bars, with the highest ratio of people arrested for fraud per capita in the country. But while it’s good to see criminals get caught, it’s unusual that a state with such a small population has such a high density of people committing fraud.
One positive thing to note about Delaware is that it’s one of only 11 states that have an identity theft passport program. Such a program helps victims of identity theft reclaim their identity afterward.
Florida
Florida is the state third-most exposed to identity theft and fraud, which is probably due in part to the fact that it has such a high population of seniors, a demographic more likely to fall victim to scams. Florida had 524 identity theft complaints and 1,446 fraud complaints for every 100,000 residents last year, some of the highest numbers in the nation.
In addition, Florida was one of the only states where identity theft complaints increased last year (by 1.75%) – most states had fairly large decreases. The median loss due to fraud last year was around $800, which hits especially hard when many residents are retired and on a fixed income.
- Most
- 1. Georgia
- 2. Louisiana
- 3. Florida
- 4. Delaware
- T-5. District of Columbia
- T-5. Nevada
- Fewest
- 47. Maine
- 48. Iowa
- 49. Wyoming
- 50. Vermont
- 51. South Dakota
- Highest
- T-1. Vermont
- T-1. Maine
- T-1. Maryland
- T-1. Hawaii
- 5. Kentucky
- Lowest
- 47. Montana
- 48. Oklahoma
- 49. Alaska
- 50. New Mexico
- 51. Kansas
- Most
- 1. District of Columbia
- 2. Georgia
- 3. Delaware
- 4. Nevada
- 5. Florida
- Fewest
- 47. Wyoming
- 48. Nebraska
- 49. Iowa
- 50. South Dakota
- 51. North Dakota
- Highest
- 1. Alaska
- 2. California
- 3. Hawaii
- 4. Arizona
- T-5. Florida
- T-5. Nevada
- Lowest
- T-37. Alabama
- T-37. Arkansas
- T-37. Idaho
- T-37. Indiana
- T-37. Iowa
- T-37. Kansas
Quick Tips for Avoiding Identity Theft & Fraud
- Emphasize Email Security: Using strong passwords for all financial accounts is important, but you may not realize how essential it is to focus on email. Your primary email address will likely be your username and means of resetting your password on other websites. If it’s vulnerable, all of your other accounts will be, too. As a result, use an exceptionally secure password and establish two-step verification for this account.
- Sign up for Credit Monitoring: Credit monitoring is the best way to keep tabs on your credit report. It provides peace of mind through alerts about significant changes to your file, including potential signs of identity theft. WalletHub offers free monitoring of your TransUnion credit report.
- Leverage Account Alerts & Update Contact Info: Setting up online management for all of your financial accounts (e.g., credit cards, loans, Social Security), and keeping your phone number, email address, and street address up to date will make them harder for identity thieves to hijack. Establishing alerts for changes to your contact info and other suspicious account activity will safeguard you.
- Use Common Sense Online: Don’t open emails you don’t recognize. Don’t download files from untrustworthy sources. Don’t send account numbers and passwords via email or messenger applications. And don’t enter financial or personal information into websites that lack the “https” prefix in their URLs.
For more tips and information, check out WalletHub’s Identity Theft Guide.
Ask the Experts
With our internet-orientated culture, many organizations store our personal information digitally, and it is at risk of exposure daily. We may not have control over how organizations handle our data. However, we can control how and where we share this information. We consulted a panel of experts for advice on safeguarding our data against cybercriminals. Click on the experts’ profiles to read their bios and thoughts on the following key questions:
- What can individuals do to guard against identity theft?
- Should victims of identity theft be able to change their Social Security number? How can we make this number more difficult to steal and use (e.g., more digits, etc.)?
- What are some common scams and fraud attempts people should be vigilant about?
- Is the expansion of social media facilitating more identity thefts?
- Should the Federal government intervene to establish a clear process for victims of identity theft looking to clear their name?
Ask the Experts
Methodology
In order to determine where American consumers are most vulnerable to identity theft and fraud, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across three key dimensions: 1) Identity Theft, 2) Fraud, and 3) Policy.
We evaluated those dimensions using 14 key metrics listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most vulnerable.
Finally, we determined each state and the District’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.
Identity Theft – Total Points: 47.5
- Identity-Theft Complaints per Capita: Full Weight (~15.83 Points)
- Change in Identity-Theft Complaints per Capita (2022 vs. 2021): Full Weight (~15.83 Points)
- Average Loss Amount Due to Online Identity Theft: Full Weight (~15.83 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated using the following formula: Total Loss Amount / Total Number of Online Identity-Theft Complaints.
Fraud – Total Points: 47.5
- Fraud & Other Complaints per Capita: Full Weight (~9.50 Points)
- Change in Fraud & Other Complaints per Capita (2022 vs. 2021): Full Weight (~9.50 Points)
- Median Loss Amount Due to Fraud: Full Weight (~9.50 Points)
Note: “Total reported amount paid” is based on the total number of fraud complaints for which the amount paid was reported by the victims. The amount paid ranges from $1 to $999,999. - Persons Arrested for Fraud per Capita: Full Weight (~9.50 Points)
- E-Commerce Attack Rates: Full Weight (~9.50 Points)
Policy – Total Points: 5.0
- Availability of Security-Freeze Law for Minors’ Credit Reports: Full Weight (~0.83 Points)
Note: This binary metric considers the presence or absence of legislation allowing parents, legal guardians, or other representatives of minors to place a security freeze on the minor’s credit report. - Availability of Identity-Theft Passport Program: Full Weight (~0.83 Points)
Note: This binary metric considers the presence or absence of Identity-Theft Passport programs that help victims of identity theft reclaim their identity. When presented to a law enforcement agency, an “identity-theft passport” allows a victim to prevent his or her arrest for offenses committed by an identity thief. - Data Disposal Laws by State: Full Weight (~0.83 Points)
Note: This binary metric measures the presence or absence of data disposal laws in each state. Businesses and governments collect personal information and store it in various formats-digital and paper. Several states have enacted laws that require entities to destroy, dispose or otherwise make personal information unreadable or undecipherable. - Presence of State Laws Addressing "Phishing": Full Weight (~0.83 Points)
Note: This binary metric measures the presence or absence of laws addressing “phishing” in a state. “Phishing” is a cybercrime in which a target is contacted by email, telephone, or text message by someone posing as a legitimate institution to lure individuals into providing sensitive data such as personally identifiable information, banking and credit card details, and passwords. - Presence of State Spyware Laws: Full Weight (~0.83 Points)
Note: This binary metric measures the presence or absence of laws addressing “spyware” in a state. “Spyware” is classified as a type of malware, malicious software designed to gain access to or damage your computer, track your online activities, or collect confidential information. - Presence of Statewide Cybersecurity Task Forces: Full Weight (~0.83 Points)
Note: This binary metric measures the presence or absence of cybersecurity task forces in a state.
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the Federal Trade Commission, Internet Crime Complaint Center, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Experian Information Solutions, and the National Conference of State Legislatures.
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