States with the highest credit card identity theft risk
Identity theft reports involving a credit card grew by 7.8% in 2024, confirming credit card fraud as the most commonly reported form of identity theft, according to a LendingTree study. Credit card identity theft reports primarily cover two types of fraud: using a person’s information to open a new credit card account (88.6% of cases) and making unauthorized changes to an existing account. Credit card ID theft risk varies widely by state, with Florida residents most likely to file a report.
Key national findings
Credit card fraud accounts for nearly 40% of all identity theft reports. Reports are concentrated among younger adults, with those in their 30s (ages 30 to 39) being the most likely age group, making up 32.7% of all reports. Three in four reports come from people aged 20 to 49. The national average rate for credit card ID theft reports is 135.1 per 100,000 residents.
Florida
Florida leads the nation with 264.5 reports per 100,000 population, with 57,997 total reports in 2024, nearly double the national average.
Georgia
Georgia ranks second with 241.8 reports per 100,000 population, totaling 26,174 reports in 2024.
District of Columbia
The District of Columbia ranks third at 233.9 reports per 100,000 population, with 1,572 total reports in 2024.
Nevada
Nevada ranks fourth with 212.3 reports per 100,000 population, recording 6,667 total reports in 2024.
Delaware
Delaware ranks fifth with 177.5 reports per 100,000 population, totaling 1,785 reports in 2024.
California
California reports 174.1 per 100,000 residents, with the highest total number of reports (68,323) due to its large population.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ranks seventh at 164.0 reports per 100,000 population, with 11,469 total reports in 2024.
Louisiana
Louisiana ranks eighth at 150.8 reports per 100,000 population, recording 6,970 total reports in 2024.
Texas
Texas ranks ninth with 150.1 reports per 100,000 population, totaling 44,480 reports in 2024.
Maryland
Maryland rounds out the top ten at 145.2 reports per 100,000 population, with 8,958 total reports in 2024.
Alaska
Alaska has the fifth-lowest rate at 34.3 reports per 100,000 population, demonstrating significantly lower risk than high-risk states.
West Virginia
West Virginia ranks fourth-lowest at 34.2 reports per 100,000 population, reflecting minimal credit card identity theft risk.
Vermont
Vermont ranks third-lowest at 33.9 reports per 100,000 population, maintaining one of the safest profiles nationally.
South Dakota
South Dakota ranks second-lowest at 33.0 reports per 100,000 population, demonstrating exceptional security.
Wyoming
Wyoming has the lowest credit card ID theft risk at just 32.1 reports per 100,000 population, less than one-eighth the rate in Florida.
Consumer protection measures
Monitoring your credit report is the most potent defense because fraudulent accounts often appear there before victims notice unauthorized activity. Consumers should adopt proactive security steps, such as frequently reviewing transaction history, using security tools like VPNs, password managers, and two-factor authenticators, and avoiding phishing attempts in emails, texts, and calls.
Conclusion
Credit card identity theft risk varies dramatically by state. Residents of high-risk states like Florida, Georgia, and Nevada face rates nearly eight times higher than those in low-risk states like Wyoming and South Dakota. This emphasizes the importance of location-aware vigilance and proactive credit monitoring.
Check out LendingTree to learn more about the methodology.
Related:
- Credit card skimmers are getting smarter: Here’s how to outsmart them.
- Worried about car theft? Here’s how to protect your ride
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