What are the statistics of identity theft?

What are the statistics of identity theft?

Identity Theft By State, 2020 (1)

State Reports per 100,000 population (2) Number of reports
California 373 147,382
Colorado 361 20,762
Connecticut 191 6,821
Delaware 449 4,374

What are 5 facts about identity theft?

Knowing them, though, could give you the information you need to help protect yourself.

  • Identity theft is a problem for millions of people.
  • Identity theft happens regularly.
  • Data breaches contribute to identity theft.
  • Social Security numbers are key.
  • Identity theft related tax fraud is real.

How many cases of identity theft are there in 2020?

1.4 million
The FTC also reports a 73% year-over-year increase in identity thefts from 2019 to 2020. There were nearly 1.4 million reported ID theft incidents in 2020, versus 650,000+ in 2019.

How common is identity theft 2019?

In 2019, 14.4 million consumers became victims of identity fraud — that’s about 1 in 15 people. Overall, 33 percent of U.S. adults have experienced identity theft, which is more than twice the global average.

Who is most at risk for identity theft?

Most Affected Groups Consumers between the ages of 40 and 69 are reporting identity theft at higher rates, suggesting a growing awareness of this crime—and vulnerability.

How many cases of identity theft are there in 2021?

Ten States by Number of Cybercrime Victims

State Number of Reported Cases
California 69,541
Florida 53,793
Texas 38,640
New York 34,505

How many identities are stolen each year?

Identity Theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States today. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that as many as 9 million Americans have had their identities stolen each year.

How often are identity thieves caught?

5. Are identity thieves ever caught? Identity theft statistics for 2020 are not available yet; however, 2006 research showed that federal authorities arrest only 0.14% of the criminals (one person in 700 identity theft suspects).

Why is identity theft so common?

Common causes of identity theft include: Public Wi-Fi networks. Discarded or stolen documents containing personal identifying information. Social engineering scams that trick consumers into providing card credentials or other private information.

How often does identity theft happen?

Identity theft affects about 1 in 20 American each year. According to Javelin’s 2020 Identity Fraud Survey, 13 million consumers in the U.S. were affected by identity fraud in 2019 with total fraud losses of nearly $17 billion.

What are the common causes of identity theft?

Learn 11 of the most common ways of identity theft can happen.

  1. Phishing. Scammers often use phishing emails to trick victims into providing personal or financial information.
  2. Smishing.
  3. Vishing.
  4. Fake Websites.
  5. Impersonation Scams or Confidence Fraud.
  6. Data Breaches.
  7. Skimming.
  8. Public Wi-Fi and USB Charging Stations.

What are facts about idenity theft?

Striking Facts Identity theft involves stealing valuable personal information of other individuals. Unauthorized access to an email account is a type of computer crime. Several other illegal and immoral activities can result from identity theft.

What are the dangers of identity theft?

Identity theft can result in difficulty in applying for a credit card or a loan, getting a job, clearing negative information on records, or an inability to trust other people. Identity theft can result in false debt, credit report errors, and even false employment/background reports.

Is identity theft really theft?

As the term would suggest, identity theft is the stealing of any personally identifiable information for financial gain. This can be credit cards but it can also be things like tax returns and medical records.

What exactly is identity theft?

Identity theft is the deliberate use of someone else’s identity, usually as a method to gain a financial advantage or obtain credit and other benefits in the other person’s name, and perhaps to the other person’s disadvantage or loss. The person whose identity has been assumed may suffer adverse consequences,…