Florida Residents Are Most Likely to Have Their Identity Stolen. See Where Your State Ranks

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Identity theft isn't just an inconvenience. It can be financially devastating and take years to fully recover. You could lose the money in your bank accounts , have difficulty applying for new credit, and you may even have creditors hounding you over unpaid bills you know nothing about.

Identity thieves operate all over the world, but residents in some states are harder hit than others. Florida saw the most identity theft so far in 2024, according to The Ascent's research on identity theft and credit card fraud, with 250 reports per 100,000 people. Here's a closer look at where your state fell in comparison.

Here's how likely you are to have your identity stolen in every state

Here's a breakdown of how common identity theft is in every U.S. state:

Many of the worst affected states are in the south, though areas of the southwest and New England also face high levels of identity theft. But even if you don't live in one of these places, that doesn't mean you can't become a victim.

How to reduce your risk of having your identity stolen

Identity thieves are crafty, and most people have probably had the experience of having their credit card stolen at least once. But there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of identity theft, including:

• Protect your personal and financial information: Don't leave credit cards or passwords out where others can find them and only give your information out to trusted sources.
• Set up activity alerts: Bank accounts and credit cards may enable you to set up activity alerts that let you know immediately of unusual activity, like large transactions or transactions in another state.
• Review bank and credit card statements frequently: Look for any transactions you don't recognize in particular.
• Check your credit reports: Everyone is entitled to free weekly credit reports through AnnualCreditReport.com . Check yours regularly for accounts you don't recognize.
• Use strong passwords on online accounts: This can reduce the likelihood of someone hacking into your account.

What to do if your identity is stolen

If you become a victim of identity theft, here are some steps you can take to get things back to normal:

• Place a fraud alert on your credit reports: Contact the credit bureaus and request that they place a fraud alert on your reports. This notifies lenders that they need to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening a new account in your name.
• File a police report: Notify the police of the incident and provide any details you can about what was stolen or hacked, when, and by whom.
• Contact any associated financial institutions: Contact any banks or lenders associated with hacked or fraudulent accounts and let them know what has happened.
• Dispute fraudulent charges: If an identity thief has made charges on your credit card, dispute these charges with your credit card issuer. You usually won't have to pay for these items as long as you act promptly.
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Notify the FTC of the theft and provide them as much information as you can about the thief.
• Consider identity theft protection services: ID theft protection services won't assist you in the identity recovery process if you purchase the service after your identity has already been stolen. But it may reduce the risk of future losses.

It can take months or even years to recover fully from identity theft. Take it one day at a time and get help from financial and legal experts as needed until it's finally behind you.

We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .