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Identity theft and fraud cases are on the rise. To shed light on where consumers face the greatest risks, personal finance site WalletHub identified the states where people are the most susceptible to scams and bad actors.
The 2024 States Most Vulnerable to Identity Theft and Fraud compare the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on 14 key indicators, adding each state’s vulnerability to identity theft and fraud, as well as national policies opposing those crimes.
The WalletHub report emerged due to the MOVEit data breach that affected a wide diversity of public and private sector organizations, including financial firms, government agencies, pension funds, and more. In fact, more than 83 million people (so far) have been affected. , at an estimated cost of more than $13. 7 billion, according to WalletHub.
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The ten most and least vulnerable states span from one coast to the next, and include:
“In the District of Columbia, there were a staggering 1,747 fraud complaints per 100,000 residents last year, more than anywhere else in the nation. It’s worrying that the home of the federal government also happens to be the area most vulnerable to identity theft and fraud,” said Cassandra Happe, WalletHub Analyst. “One key reason why the District of Columbia is so vulnerable is that it lacks key laws to protect consumers when it comes to things like data disposal, phishing, spyware and more.”
While you’re about to find out if you’ll fall victim to a scam or have your identity stolen, there are several steps you can take to protect yourself.
For the more than 18 years, Kathryn has shed light on humanity in private finance by crafting stories that identify opportunities and barriers in managing a person’s finances. Still, it will address other similar topics if necessary. Kathryn has a degree in journalism and lives in Duluth, Minnesota. She joined Kiplinger in 2023 as a collaborator.