Most Worrying Identity Theft Statistics for 2026

Not so long ago, when we thought about theft, we imagined a house being robbed or someone getting mugged in the street. These crimes are far from harmless, but the devil was at least visible. The problem with identity theft is that you don’t know you’re in danger until the crime has already been committed.

As tech advances to keep people safe, criminals evolve in parallel, becoming more adept at stealing data. While far from pleasant, this is something you need to be aware of.

Key Identity Theft Statistics for 2026 - Editor’s Choice

• 33% of citizens in the US have experienced identity theft.
• The FTC received 3 million fraud reports in 2025.
• 1.7 million child identity theft incidents were reported by 2025.
• Every year, 15 million Americans become victims of identity theft.
• Imposter scams cost consumers $3.5 billion in 2025.
• 35% of fraud cases in early 2025 were attributed to AI-related techniques.

3 million fraud reports were filed with the FTC in 2025.

(FTC)

Consumers have also stated that they lost $15.9 billion in fraud in the same year.

Someone becomes the victim of identity fraud every 22 seconds.

(FTC)

Studies have also shown that every 22 seconds, someone becomes a victim of identity theft in the US. In light of the sharp rise in attacks we’ve seen in recent years, more and more people are calling for online data to be better protected.

33% of Americans have been the victim of identity theft.

(Proof Point)

A third of Americans have been the victim of identity theft at some point in their lives. This is three times higher than the numbers from Germany or even France. It is also double the world average. US respondents leave their social media more open than worldwide users, making them vulnerable by exposing their information to cyber thieves.

Imposters are the most common kind of identity theft.

(FTC)

When you look at the statistics released by the FTC, you will soon see that imposter scams were the most common type of fraud, resulting in $3.5 billion in losses in 2025.

People active on social media are more likely to have their details stolen.

(Business News Daily)

People who are active on social media are 30% more likely to have their details stolen when compared to other people. These are the main channels where attackers seek out targets. Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram are exposed to an even higher level of risk, which propels the statistic to 46%.

The most common target of stolen ID use is credit card fraud.

(FTC)

Following that, you have loan or lease fraud, and bank fraud. The millions of people who have been affected by these crimes often experience considerable financial, psychological, and reputational damage.

15 million US citizens experience identity theft every year.

(Crime Museum)

15 million people in the US experience identity theft every single year. This results in tens of billions of dollars in financial losses. This equates to 4.5% of all US residents, with an average loss of around $3,500.

9 million identities are stolen every year.

(Time)

Even the dead can become victims of cybercrime. A recent study showed that there have been almost 800,000 incidents where criminals have exploited the identities of the deceased to open credit cards or even get a cell phone plan. Studies have also shown that twice as many thieves used a fake Social Security number belonging to those who have passed away.

One out of ten people in the EU have experienced identity theft

(GRC World)

More than half of Europeans (56%) have been the victim of cybercrime at least once in the last two years. Identity theft is the second-most common type of cyber-attack, with one-third of the 56% mentioned above being victims. The UK is the most vulnerable, with 53% of respondents from this country having reported some kind of ID theft. Ireland has a rate of 50%, and France comes in third, at 45%.

Californians are the main target for identity theft.

(FTC)

The FTC has found that Californians are the primary target for identity theft, with the most recent data from 2025 showing that 135,575 complaints were filed from this state alone. This makes the state one of the top targets for cybercrime. Florida comes in second with 135,317 cases, while Texas is third at 128,758 cases.

Millennials account for around 42% of identity theft reports in the US in 2026.

(FTC)

On the other hand, people over 70 only accounted for around 4% of reports. However, the average financial losses experienced by the older population were much higher compared to the younger generations, despite the totals being bigger for Millennials.

The 60 to 69 age group lost the most in fraud-induced expenses.

(FTC)

Baby Boomers lose the most to identity theft, but they are also in fourth place in terms of report numbers. This means scams are particularly costly per person for this age group.

Over 1.7 million children have fallen victim to identity theft.

(Michigan State University)

Studies have also shown that 50% of those youngsters are the age of six or younger, and that the average age is decreasing.

Families are expected to pay $540 million out of pocket to account for fraud damage from scammed children.

(GIZMODO)

Data shows that $2.6 billion in damages may be attributed to cybercrime involving children. Only 7% of adults know the person responsible for identity theft. However, when you look at children, you will see that this percentage skyrockets to 60%. More often than not, crimes involving children are perpetrated by someone who knows them.

3% to 10% of the annual health budget in the US is lost to fraud.

(NHCAA)

While that number is alarming in itself, it’s worsened by the fact that medical identity theft accounts for 2 million cases of fraud to date. Considering the price of health insurance in the US, this is a life-threatening figure for many.

74,171 employment and tax-related fraud cases were reported in 2025.

(FTC)

This type of fraud saw a significant spike during the pandemic era and remains a steady threat, with over 74,000 cases reported in the first three quarters of 2025 alone.

Credit card account fraud remains the dominant threat in the UK for 2026.

(UKFinance)

In 2025, identity fraud accounted for 54% of all fraud filings in the National Fraud Database, with plastic cards remaining the most affected sector.

Gross losses from gift card fraud in 2023 exceeded $217 million.

(FTC)

More than a third of adults in the US have stated that they or someone they know had been targeted by this type of scam.

35% of fraud cases in early 2025 were AI-driven.

(Signicat)

The most common AI-based scam are deepfake scams, which have seen a sharp rise in sophistication and frequency.

60% of Americans believe that AI will contribute to an increase in identity theft.

(Debt.com)

The respondents were most worried about deepfakes, generative AI and AI-powered password cracking.

Credit card fraud reports increased by 54% year-over-year in 2025.

(Motley Fool)

As of the end of 2025, credit card fraud has re-emerged as the most common form of identity theft. The surge is largely driven by new account fraud, where criminals use stolen data to open entirely fresh lines of credit.

Synthetic identity fraud is projected to cost businesses $40 billion by 2027.

(Deloitte)

This industrialized form of fraud, which blends real and fabricated data to create fake personas, is becoming exponentially harder to detect.

Deepfake incidents in the first half of 2025 cost Americans $547.2 million.

(ZeroThreat)

The use of AI to replicate voices and faces has moved from a theoretical threat to a major financial drain. This form of fraud is now used in nearly 7% of all fraud attacks.

In Conclusion

Fraud is a major issue, but it is possible to protect yourself by taking the right steps. First, make yourself aware of the various signs of identity fraud in its earlier stages.

Combine this with regularly checking your credit report, two-step verification whenever possible, varied passwords, and private social media, and you can significantly reduce your chances of being targeted and exploited by criminals.