A recent study has revealed that credit card fraud is the most prevalent form of identity theft in the United States, accounting for 36% of all identity theft reports. The study, conducted using data from the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, identified a staggering 420,498 instances of credit card fraud, translating to a rate of 124 incidents per 100,000 residents across the nation.
Experts at GBG, a recognized leader in global identity and fraud intelligence, utilized the FBI’s statistics to analyze identity crimes throughout the U.S. They found that the rates of various types of fraud significantly differ from state to state, with Georgia holding the highest overall rate of identity theft reports at 615 cases per 100,000 residents.
The report outlined the most common types of identity theft in the U.S. as follows:
- Credit Card Fraud: 420,498 reports (124 per 100,000 people)
- “Other” Identity Theft: 301,250 reports (89 per 100,000 people)
- Loan and Lease Fraud: 164,540 reports (49 per 100,000 people)
- Bank Account Fraud: 97,635 reports (29 per 100,000 people)
- Phone or Utilities Fraud: 70,900 reports (21 per 100,000 people)
- Employment or Tax-Related Fraud: 59,184 reports (17 per 100,000 people)
- Government Documents or Benefits Fraud: 53,155 reports (16 per 100,000 people)
California recorded the highest incidence of credit card fraud, with a shocking 1,325 cases per 100,000 residents—an astonishing 969% above the national average. Florida follows with 1,124 cases per 100,000 residents (807% above average), and Texas reports 862 cases per 100,000 residents (596% above average).
The category of “Other” identity theft, which encompasses various scams that do not fall into standard definitions, comprises 25.8% of total reports. In this category, California again ranks first, documenting 746 cases per 100,000 residents, while Texas and Florida are closely behind.
Loan and lease fraud accounts for 14.1% of identity theft incidents, with Texas exhibiting the steepest rate. For bank account fraud, Massachusetts leads, demonstrating a significant rise in incidents compared to national averages.
As identity theft continues to rise across the country, the study highlights the urgent need for increased awareness and preventive measures to combat these crimes effectively.
The findings stress that while credit card fraud remains the top concern, a diverse range of identity theft types exists, suggesting the necessity for vigilance and strong security practices among consumers nationwide.