Identity Theft
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CONSUMER FRAUD AND IDENTITY THEFT
The Consumer Sentinel database, maintained by the Federal Trade Commission, contains over 3.5 million consumer fraud and identity theft complaints that have been filed with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and private organizations.
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IDENTITY THEFT AND FRAUD COMPLAINTS, 2005-2007 (1)
(1) Percentages are based on the total number of identity theft and fraud complaints by calendar year. These figures exclude national "Do Not Call" registry complaints.
Source: Federal Trade Commission.
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HOW VICTIMS' INFORMATION IS MISUSED, 2007 (1)
Type of identity theft fraud |
Percent |
| Credit card fraud | 23% |
| Phone or utilities fraud | 18 |
| Employment-related fraud | 14 |
| Bank fraud (2) | 13 |
| Government documents or benefits fraud | 11 |
| Attempted identity theft | 5 |
| Loan fraud | 5 |
| Other identity theft | 25 |
(1) Percentages are based on the total number of complaints in the Federal Trade Commission’s Identity Theft Data Clearinghouse (258,427 in 2007). Percentages total to more than 100 because some victims reported experiencing more than one type of identity theft (16% in 2007).
(2) Includes fraud involving checking and savings accounts and electronic fund transfer.
Source: Federal Trade Commission. |
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IDENTITY THEFT VICTIMS BY STATE, 2007
State |
Victims per 100,000 population (1) |
Number of victims |
Rank (2) |
State |
Victims per 100,000 population (1) |
Number of victims |
Rank (2) |
| Alabama | 69.6 | 3,221 | 17 | Montana | 40.8 | 391 | 44 |
| Alaska | 47.0 | 321 | 38 | Nebraska | 44.7 | 793 | 40 |
| Arizona | 137.1 | 8,688 | 1 | Nevada | 114.2 | 2,930 | 3 |
| Arkansas | 56.5 | 1,601 | 33 | New Hampshire | 48.9 | 643 | 37 |
| California | 120.1 | 43,892 | 2 | New Jersey | 79.0 | 6,864 | 12 |
| Colorado | 89.0 | 4,328 | 8 | New Mexico | 87.5 | 1,723 | 9 |
| Connecticut | 68.8 | 2,409 | 19 | New York | 100.1 | 19,319 | 6 |
| Delaware | 69.7 | 603 | 16 | North Carolina | 67.0 | 6,069 | 22 |
| Florida | 105.6 | 19,270 | 5 | North Dakota | 28.5 | 182 | 50 |
| Georgia | 91.6 | 8,744 | 7 | Ohio | 62.6 | 7,178 | 27 |
| Hawaii | 45.9 | 589 | 39 | Oklahoma | 63.9 | 2,312 | 25 |
| Idaho | 49.2 | 737 | 36 | Oregon | 68.1 | 2,552 | 20 |
| Illinois | 80.2 | 10,304 | 11 | Pennsylvania | 72.5 | 9,016 | 14 |
| Indiana | 63.4 | 4,026 | 26 | Rhode Island | 56.0 | 592 | 34 |
| Iowa | 35.6 | 1,063 | 48 | South Carolina | 60.6 | 2,670 | 30 |
| Kansas | 61.0 | 1,694 | 29 | South Dakota | 30.8 | 245 | 49 |
| Kentucky | 43.3 | 1,836 | 42 | Tennessee | 64.7 | 3,986 | 24 |
| Louisiana | 62.3 | 2,674 | 28 | Texas | 107.9 | 25,796 | 4 |
| Maine | 40.2 | 530 | 45 | Utah | 57.8 | 1,529 | 31 |
| Maryland | 85.8 | 4,821 | 10 | Vermont | 38.1 | 237 | 47 |
| Massachusetts | 66.5 | 4,292 | 23 | Virginia | 69.0 | 5,319 | 18 |
| Michigan | 70.3 | 7,079 | 15 | Washington | 76.4 | 4,942 | 13 |
| Minnesota | 55.0 | 2,857 | 35 | West Virginia | 40.2 | 729 | 46 |
| Mississippi | 57.3 | 1,673 | 32 | Wisconsin | 43.7 | 2,450 | 41 |
| Missouri | 67.4 | 3,962 | 21 | Wyoming | 42.5 | 222 | 43 |
(1) Population figures are based on the 2007 U.S. Census population estimates.
(2) Ranked by victims per 100,000 population. The District of Columbia had 133.2 victims per 100,000 population and 784 victims.
Source: Federal Trade Commission. |
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See also the Identity Theft section of our Web site Click Here.
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