Where Bama Ranks Among States Most Vulnerable To Identity Theft

Identity theft is a huge deal, especially since the pandemic started. Where does Alabama rank among the U.S in identity theft numbers?

One thing most people do not want to hear is that their identity has been stolen and used by criminals. Thieves have been stealing information and identities from common places like gas pumps, the ATM, and online scams.

Individuals aren't the only people who can fall victim to identity theft and data breaches. According to Wallet Hub, the Identity Theft Resource Center’s most recent Data Breach Report, between January 1, 2005, and May 31, 2020, there have been 11,762 breaches. That accounts for over 1.6 billion records compromised.

Wallet Hub recently ranked the states most vulnerable to identity theft and fraud. They compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 14 key metrics. The data ranged from identity-theft complaints per capita to the average loss amount due to fraud.

The state that came in at number 1 was my home state of Florida! Wow!

Alabama was ranked the 19th most vulnerable state to identity theft and fraud according to this Wallet Hub study. We ranked number 19 for overall identity theft and 25th for overall fraud rank.

With COVID-19 present, there have been plenty of scams and fake IRS calls going around in an attempt to victimize Americans. Wallet Hub shared a few tips to help us prevent becoming victims of identity theft and fraud.

  1. Emphasize Email Security
  2. Sign Up For Credit Monitoring
  3. Leverage Account Alerts & Update Contact Info
  4. Use Common Sense Online

If you'd like more information on how to prevent identity theft, check out Wallet Hub's Identity Theft Guide.  

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