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In 2022, the FTC documented 1.1 million identity theft reports.
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The FTC’s annual report on reported fraud and identity theft reveals which states report the most identity theft.
Southern states had higher identity theft rates, while Midwestern states had lower rates.
If you live in a state where identity theft is common, you should consider signing up for identity theft protection.
Your identity is one of your most valuable assets, making it a common theft target. According to its annual fraud report, the Federal Trade Commission received 1.1 million identity theft reports in 2022. The same report also reveals the states that produced the most identity theft reports in 2022.
Identity theft is often a crime of opportunity. While you don’t necessarily need the best identity theft protection services, taking steps to secure your identity can go a long way toward preventing identity theft. This is especially true if you live in one of these states with the most identity theft.
10 states with the most identity theft
The FTC report organizes states by identity theft cases reported per 100,000 people. This means that while the top states might not have the most identity theft reports overall, they have the highest rate of identity theft. It’s also worth noting that the FTC only included reported identity theft cases. The true number of identity theft incidents in the US is likely much higher.
Notably, Southern states take up most of this list, occupying six of the 10 spots on this ranking. Southern states also happen to have lower average credit scores than states in other regions.
RankStateReports per 100,000 peopleOverall # of reports1.Georgia57460,3482.Louisiana 53424,8983.Florida524111,2214.Delaware4844,6825.Nevada41812,6726.Texas397113,8087.Pennsylvania36847,1438.Alabama36317,7639.South Carolina35217,90810.Mississippi34410,260
Note: If included, Washington, DC, would be tied for 5th with Nevada at 418 reports per 100,000 people.
10 states with the least identity theft
The states with the lowest rates of identity theft are as follows:
RankStateReports per 100,000 peopleOverall # of reports41.Kentucky1205,33442.North Dakota11284843.Montana1061,12344.Nebraska1052,01945.Alaska10476746.Maine1031,37747.Iowa983,09748.Wyoming9555249.Vermont9056450.South Dakota76670
It’s difficult to find a trend that holds true for all states, indicating some kind of correlation. While age usually plays a factor in identity theft, older people generally being more vulnerable than younger generations, Maine has the highest median age of all states at 45.1 years old. However, it has one of the lowest rates of identity theft.
It’s worth noting that the states with the lowest rates of identity theft also have relatively lower populations.
How to protect your identity
Reducing the risk of identity theft is primarily a process of practicing good data hygiene. This means shredding sensitive documents when you toss them. You should be using antivirus software on your computer, which comes with some identity protection services like LifeLock. You should also use complex, unique passwords for your important online accounts.
You can also freeze your credit, preventing new lenders from pulling your credit reports for any purpose. Credit freezes prevent bad actors from taking out loans in your name by barring would-be lenders from accessing your credit reports. The three major credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — have their own version of this feature called a credit lock, which works similarly to a credit freeze. Experian and TransUnion’s credit locking services also come with $1 million in identity theft insurance.
You can place a fraud alert on your credit for free. This service, which goes through the credit bureaus, acts as a red flag for lenders, prompting them to confirm your identity before extending credit. However, fraud alerts only last a year before you need to renew them.
While avoiding identity theft is the best-case scenario, the second-best scenario is catching identity theft early. This is where credit monitoring services come in handy. They will alert you of any changes in your credit report when they occur, such as a loan taken out in your name. You may have a credit card with identity theft protection or some credit monitoring capabilities. Some of the best credit monitoring services are also free.
Certain identity theft protections like Aura or IDShield will have experts who can help you recover your identity.
What to do as the victim of identity theft
You may have done everything right. You shredded every sensitive document. You have individual randomly generated passwords on each of your accounts. You pay for the top antivirus software. And yet, one day, you get a notification from your top-of-the-line credit monitoring service that a hard inquiry has been added to your credit report without your knowledge.
Once the frustration and panic fade, the first thing you should do is file a report with the Federal Trade Commission through IdentityTheft.gov. You should also notify any parties involved, such as a creditor that issued credit to the fraudster. You will need to inform the credit bureaus. Once you report fraud to one bureau, that bureau must inform the others.
As a victim of identity theft, you have a handful of rights that you can exercise. You can place a 90-day initial fraud alert on your credit, requiring lenders to take reasonable steps to confirm your identity (usually a phone call) before issuing new credit. Once you place this fraud alert, you can view a copy of your credit reports from all three credit bureaus for free. You are allowed to dispute any fraudulent information on those credit reports, which the bureaus are required to investigate and amend your report if it’s indeed fraudulent.
Note: If you report identity theft over the phone, you will not get an identity theft report, which can be important documentation when you go to the credit bureaus.
You can also place an extended fraud alert on your credit, which works like that 90-day initial fraud alert but lasts for seven years. To qualify for this fraud alert, you will need an identity theft report from your filings with IdentityTheft.gov.
Identity theft frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why is protecting your identity important?
Without identity protection, thieves can use your credit profile to take out loans and other lines of credit in your name. That information on your credit report can lower your credit score and potentially cost you money.
How can I find out if someone is using my identity?
You should look out for charges on your credit card bill that you don’t recognize, which some credit card companies will do anyways. You are also allowed one free credit report from each bureau every week.
What is the most common form of identity theft?
Credit-related identity theft is the most common form of identity theft, making up 37% of all identity theft complaints.
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