Are New Yorkers More Vulnerable to Identity Theft?

Are New Yorkers more susceptible to crimes like identity theft? A recent study was conducted that compared each state to determine the states that are more vulnerable to identity theft.

You hear it all the time, big companies releasing that they have had a data breach and your personal information has possibly been stolen. My wife and I have been victims of identity theft, and it's not fun, let me tell you. It brings your life to a halt, and you're caught scrambling, making calls trying to figure out what happened. It is an absolute nightmare. I really hope I never have to go through it again.

Data suggests that data breaches are down for 2020, but big companies like Marriott and Nintendo have experienced data breaches this year, which makes me worry because I have a Nintendo account, maybe video games aren't good for you.

Wallethub decided to do the dirty work and crunch the numbers to determine which states are more vulnerable to identity theft. For this study, they compare the 50 states across 14 different metrics from identity-theft complaints per capita to the average loss amount due to fraud.

New York was ranked as the seventh most vulnerable state for identity theft. The state most vulnerable to identity theft is Florida, followed by South Carolina and Delaware. Here's the breakdown:

New York's Vulnerability to Identity Theft:

• 12^th – Identity-Theft Complaints per Capita
• 9^th – Avg. Loss Amount Due to Online Identity Theft
• 13^th – Fraud & Other Complaints per Capita
• 14^th – Median Loss Amount Due to Fraud
• 18^th – State Security-Freeze Laws for Minors’ Credit Reports
• 1^st – Identity-Theft Passport Program
• 25^th – Persons Arrested for Fraud per Capita