Law · Facts & sources
5 sourced facts about identity theft and fraud, each with the context behind the number. 4 more are in today's round and appear here after it closes.
Answerabout 7% (16.6 million people)
The Bureau of Justice Statistics found identity theft to be one of the most commonly experienced crimes in the country.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics (via Wikipedia) (2012) en.wikipedia.org
Answernearly $10 billion
Reported fraud losses have climbed sharply in recent years as scams involving impersonation and investment fraud have grown.
Source: FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2023 (2023) ftc.gov
Answerabout 630,000
Young people are attractive identity-theft targets because their clean credit histories often go unchecked for years.
Source: Federal Trade Commission (via Wikipedia) (2008) en.wikipedia.org
Answerabout $12,799
Because minors' credit files are rarely monitored, fraud can go undetected for years, letting debt accumulate.
Source: Federal Trade Commission (via Wikipedia) (2008) en.wikipedia.org
Answerabout 7%
The rate climbed steadily as more of daily life, shopping, and banking moved online over that period.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics (via Wikipedia) (2010) en.wikipedia.org