Where Does Fraud Occur the Most in the United States? | TitleMax (2024)

How Much Money Is Lost to Fraud Each Year?

In 2020, consumers reported losing more than $3.3 billion to fraud, which is a major increase from $1.8 billion in 2019. The top three types of reports filed were identity theft, impostor scams, and online shopping and negative reviews. What U.S. state has the most fraud? In terms of fraud cases per capita, Florida tops the chart at 993 reports per 100,000 people. Florida is often referred to as the scam capital of the United States, and many may suspect that that’s because of the state’s large senior population. However, millennials have become the most susceptible target of fraud in Florida, with debt collection, identity theft, and impostor scams being the most common. This TitleMax.com infographic explores where fraud occurs the most in the United States and the states with the most identity theft:

Here are the top 20 states with the most fraud reports per 100,000 people and the most common type of fraud in each:

1. Florida — 993 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)
2. Georgia — 924 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)
3. Nevada — 770 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)
4. Delaware — 758 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)
5. Michigan — 750 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)
6. Texas — 729 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)
7. Maryland — 694 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)
8. Alabama — 687 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)
9. South Carolina — 660 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)
10. Tennessee — 649 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)
11. Arizona — 644 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)
12. Missouri — 640 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)
13. Virginia — 613 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)
14. Ohio — 598 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)
15. New Mexico — 590 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)
16. North Carolina — 587 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)
17. Louisiana — 582 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)
18. California — 570 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)
19. Colorado — 568 reports per 100,000 people (identity theft)
20. Rhode Island — 561 reports per 100,000 people (debt collection)

Here are the top ten states with the most identity theft and the most common type of identity theft in each:

1. Michigan — 151 reports per 100,000 people (government documents and benefit fraud)
2. Florida — 149 reports per 100,000 people (credit card fraud)
3. California — 140 reports per 100,000 people (credit card fraud)
4. Maryland — 129 reports per 100,000 people (credit card fraud)
5. Nevada — 128 reports per 100,000 people (credit card fraud)
6. Delaware — 126 reports per 100,000 people (credit card fraud)
7. Illinois — 124 reports per 100,000 people (credit card fraud)
8. Rhode Island — 123 reports per 100,000 people (credit card fraud)
9. Georgia — 120 reports per 100,000 people (credit card fraud)
10. Arizona — 119 reports per 100,000 people (employment or tax-related fraud)

Since identity theft is one of the most harmful and prevalent forms of fraud, here are some resources on how to avoid identity theft as well as other types of fraud:

• Identity Theft: Warning Signs, Potential Victims, and Prevention — USA.gov
• Avoiding Identity Theft — Consumer.gov
• Top Ten Ways to Prevent Identity Theft — Nolo.com
• How to Avoid a Scam — Federal Trade Commission
• Protect Yourself From Scams — Australian Competition & Consumer Commission
• The Top Ten Ways to Protect Your Identity — United Way
• Four Ways to Help Students Avoid Identity Theft — PBS.org
• How to Teach Your Child About Identity Theft — Experian.com

Contents