Identity theft remains America's fastest-growing crime. In 2024, the FTC received over 1.1 million identity theft reports with losses exceeding $12.7 billion — a 23% increase from the previous year. Experts estimate a new victim emerges every 22 seconds.
Whether you're protecting yourself or understanding the scope of this crisis, these identity theft statistics reveal the true scale of the problem in 2025.
Key Takeaways
- A new identity theft victim every 22 seconds
- 1.1 million+ identity theft reports filed in 2024
- Total losses exceeded $12.7 billion (up 23% from 2023)
- 30% of Americans have experienced identity theft
- 70% of fraud now occurs online
- Credit card fraud is the #1 type of identity theft
- Ages 30-39 are most frequently targeted
How Often Does Identity Theft Happen?
1. A new identity theft victim emerges every 22 seconds
Experts estimate that identity theft cases occur so frequently that there is a new victim every 22 seconds in America. This relentless pace makes it one of the most common crimes in the country.
2. The FTC received 1.1 million identity theft reports in 2024
The FTC logged more than 1.1 million identity theft reports in 2024, along with roughly 2.6 million cases of related fraud. Identity theft complaints marked a 9.5% decrease from 2023's record highs.
3. 15 million Americans become victims every year
Every year, approximately 15 million Americans fall victim to identity theft. Reports have doubled over the past six years, showing this crime is accelerating despite awareness efforts.
4. 2025 is on pace to be a record-breaking year
In the first half of 2025 alone, there were 748,555 reported cases of identity theft and 323,459 cases of credit card fraud — both exceeding the first half of 2024. This puts 2025 on pace to break all records.
Alarming Trend: Identity theft affects approximately 6 million Americans annually through direct financial fraud, while millions more have their data exposed through breaches.
How Many People Are Affected by Identity Theft?
5. 30% of Americans have had their identity stolen
Nearly one-third of Americans (30%) reported having their identity stolen at some point. This means roughly 100 million Americans have been victimized by identity thieves during their lifetime.
6. 24 million Americans had their identity stolen in one year
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately 24 million Americans had their identity stolen over a single twelve-month period — that's roughly 1 in 14 adults.
7. 1 in 5 Americans (22%) have been victimized in their lifetime
The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that 22% of Americans — more than 1 in 5 — have fallen victim to identity theft at least once in their lifetime.
8. 33% of Americans have faced an identity theft attempt
Nearly 33% of Americans have faced some kind of identity theft attempt in their lives, even if not all attempts were successful. The actual number of attacks far exceeds successful thefts.
How Much Identity Theft Occurs Online?
9. 70% of identity fraud now occurs online
With digital transactions surpassing conventional ones, online identity fraud cases now represent more than 70% of all identity fraud occurrences. Physical theft of documents is becoming less common.
10. Phishing is used in 76.86% of identity theft cases
Phishing remains the most common method criminals use to steal identities, appearing in 76.86% of fraud cases. These scams trick victims into revealing passwords, Social Security numbers, and financial information.
11. Social media scams account for 40% of reported fraud
Social media scams, including phishing and fake accounts, are on the rise, accounting for approximately 40% of reported fraud cases. Criminals use fake profiles to build trust before stealing information.
12. 16% of data breaches now involve AI attacks
In 2025, 16% of all breaches involved attackers using AI. Among AI-powered attacks, 37% used phishing and 35% used deepfake technology to impersonate trusted individuals.
AI Threat: Cyber thieves increasingly use machine learning and AI tools, leading to more convincing and personalized scams that are harder to detect.
13. 88% of breaches involve stolen passwords
According to Verizon's 2025 report, the vast majority of data breaches originate from stolen passwords. About 88% of breaches within certain attack patterns involved the use of stolen credentials.
What Is the Most Common Type of Identity Theft?
14. Credit card fraud is the #1 type of identity theft
Credit card fraud leads all categories with over 450,000 reports in 2024. In the first half of 2025, there were 323,459 cases of credit card fraud — a 51% increase year over year.
| Type of Identity Theft | % of Cases | 2024 Reports |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Card Fraud | 40%+ | 450,000+ |
| Bank/Financial Fraud | 25% | 280,000+ |
| Synthetic Identity Fraud | 30% | Growing rapidly |
| Tax Identity Theft | 8% | 90,000+ |
| Employment Fraud | 3% | 37,556 |
15. Financial fraud accounts for over 40% of all cases
Financial fraud remains the most common type of identity theft, accounting for over 40% of all cases. This includes credit card fraud, bank account takeovers, and loan fraud.
16. Synthetic identity fraud makes up 30% of all cases
Synthetic identity fraud — combining real and made-up information to create fake identities — has become one of the most widespread techniques, comprising about 30% of all identity fraud cases by 2025.
17. Employment identity theft grew 20% year-over-year
With 37,556 reported cases in 2024, employment-related identity theft grew 20% year-over-year. Thieves use stolen Social Security numbers to gain employment, leaving victims to deal with tax complications.
18. Impersonation scams rose 148% in 2025
The Identity Theft Resource Center reported that impersonation scams rose 148% and became the top reported scam type. Criminals pose as government officials, tech support, or family members.
Who Is Most Likely to Be a Victim of Identity Theft?
19. Ages 30-39 are most frequently targeted
Americans aged 30 to 39 are most likely to fall victim to identity theft, accounting for 30% of all victims. On a per-capita basis, this age group reported 599 cases per 100,000 people.
| Age Group | % of Victims | Cases per 100K |
|---|---|---|
| 30-39 | 30% | 599 |
| 40-49 | 24% | 482 |
| 50-59 | 18% | 380 |
| 20-29 | 15% | 320 |
| 60+ | 10% | 250 |
| Under 20 | 3% | 85 |
20. Millennials and Gen X make up 66% of victims
Millennials (37%) and Gen X (29%) made up the majority of identity theft victims. Broken down by generation, Millennials are most likely to have been scammed (54%), followed by Gen X (51%).
21. Women are more likely to be victims (54% vs 46%)
More women (54%) than men (46%) experience identity theft. Women are also more frequently targeted by romance scams and social media fraud schemes.
22. Children are 51x more likely to be victims
Kids are 51 times more likely to fall victim to identity theft than adults. The Social Security numbers of 10% of American children have been used by someone else — often going undetected for years.
Senior Losses: While older adults aren't more likely to be victimized, they suffer far greater losses. Americans 60+ lost $3.4 billion to identity theft in 2023 — more than any other age group.
23. Baby Boomers suffer the largest losses per incident
Even though Baby Boomers are the least at-risk age group, they tend to suffer the largest losses per incident. The 60-something age group lost $980 million in 2023 alone.
How Much Money Is Lost to Identity Theft?
24. Identity theft losses exceeded $12.7 billion in 2024
The FTC reported total financial losses of more than $12.7 billion in 2024 — an increase of nearly 23% from $10.4 billion in 2023. The potential total loss including unreported cases reached $16.6 billion.
25. Global identity fraud will exceed $50 billion in 2025
In 2025, the global cost of identity fraud is projected to exceed $50 billion. The average loss per identity theft case has reached approximately $1,600, up from $1,300 in 2023.
26. The average victim loses $1,600
The average loss per identity theft case in 2025 reached approximately $1,600, up from $1,300 in 2023. While the median loss is about $500, 13% of victims lose more than $10,000.
27. 20% of victims lost more than $100,000
According to the ITRC, more than 20% of identity theft victims reported losses exceeding $100,000, and more than 10% lost at least $1 million — often through investment scams or business fraud.
28. Bank fraud cost consumers over $2 billion in 2024
Bank transfer and payment fraud cost consumers over $2 billion in 2024 alone, compared to $275 million for credit card fraud. Wire transfers are harder to reverse, making them attractive to criminals.
29. Investment scams caused $5.8 billion in losses
Investment-related scams had the highest proportion of cases involving monetary losses (79%) and the greatest total financial losses at more than $5.8 billion — an increase of more than 20% from 2023.
30. Victims spend 200 hours recovering from fraud
Identity fraud victims report an average loss of 200 hours when dealing with fraud-related situations — disputing charges, filing reports, freezing credit, and restoring their identity.
How Do Criminals Steal Your Identity?
31. 60% of breaches involve the human element
According to Verizon, 60% of all breaches include the human element — people involved through error, privilege misuse, stolen credentials, or social engineering. Technology alone can't prevent theft.
32. 2.8 billion passwords were posted on criminal forums in 2024
More than 2.8 billion passwords were posted on criminal forums in 2024. Once stolen, these credentials are sold and used for account takeovers, identity theft, and fraud.
| Stolen Data Type | Dark Web Price |
|---|---|
| Banking Account Data | $10 - $4,255 |
| Crypto Account Data | $20 - $2,650 |
| Forged IDs/Passports | $150 - $4,000 |
| Credit Card Numbers | $5 - $110 |
| Social Security Numbers | $1 - $10 |
33. Emails were compromised in 61% of data breaches
In 2025 data breaches, emails were compromised in 61% of cases, phone numbers in 39%, passwords in 28%, government IDs in 22%, and IP addresses in 13%.
How Many Data Breaches Expose Personal Information?
34. 3,158 data breaches affected 1.35 billion people in 2024
In 2024, there were 3,158 data compromises in the United States, affecting over 1.35 billion individuals through data breaches, leakage, and exposure.
35. The National Public Data breach exposed 2.9 billion records
The largest single incident was the National Public Data breach, allegedly exposing approximately 2.9 billion records including Social Security numbers, names, and addresses.
36. The average data breach costs $4.44 million
The global average cost of a data breach was $4.44 million in 2025. The United States has the highest average breach cost at $10.22 million, followed by the Middle East at $7.29 million.
Healthcare Breaches: Healthcare data breaches remain the most expensive at $7.42 million average cost and have been the costliest industry for 12 consecutive years.
Which States Have the Highest Identity Theft Rates?
37. Florida leads with 528 complaints per 100,000 residents
Ranked by complaints per 100,000 residents, Florida was first among states in 2024 with 528 complaints per 100,000. Georgia ranked second with 517 complaints per 100,000 residents.
| State | Complaints per 100K | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 528 | #1 |
| Georgia | 517 | #2 |
| Nevada | 495 | #3 |
| Delaware | 488 | #4 |
| Texas | 472 | #5 |
How Can You Protect Yourself from Identity Theft?
38. Credit freezes are the #1 recommended protection
Experts recommend: "Freeze your credit unless you have a specific requirement for not doing it." A credit freeze prevents criminals from opening new accounts in your name.
39. Two-factor authentication stops most account takeovers
Always use two-factor authentication on accounts with personal information. It adds another layer of security so even if a cybercriminal steals your password, they still can't access your accounts.
40. The identity protection market will reach $28 billion by 2029
The market for identity theft protection services is expected to reach $28 billion by 2029 as more Americans invest in monitoring and protection services.
Summary: Identity Theft by the Numbers (2025)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| New Victim Frequency | Every 22 seconds |
| FTC Reports (2024) | 1.1 million+ |
| Total Losses (2024) | $12.7 billion |
| Americans Ever Victimized | 30% |
| Fraud Occurring Online | 70% |
| Most Common Type | Credit Card Fraud |
| Most Targeted Age Group | 30-39 years old |
| Average Loss Per Victim | $1,600 |
| Recovery Time | 200 hours |
| Data Breaches (2024) | 3,158 |
| People Affected by Breaches | 1.35 billion |
| Global Fraud Cost (2025) | $50+ billion |
| Highest Rate State | Florida (528/100K) |
| Protection Market (2029) | $28 billion |
Sources
- Experian - Identity Theft Statistics 2025
- Federal Trade Commission - Consumer Sentinel Reports
- IdentityTheft.org - 2025 Statistics
- Security.org - Identity Theft Statistics
- Identity Theft Resource Center - 2025 Reports
- Verizon - 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report
- DemandSage - Identity Theft Statistics
- Insurance Information Institute
- ConsumerAffairs - US Identity Theft Statistics
- Varonis - Data Breach Statistics 2025
Last updated: December 2025. Statistics are updated as new data becomes available.