Des Moines ranks second nationally for this rising crime

(NEXSTAR) — On Thursday, nearly 3 billion people learned their Social Security numbers may have been stolen in a major hack of National Public Data , which kept records for employers performing background checks. And while hackers and bad actors don’t need your SSN to steal your identity, Americans are now, understandably worried.

Identity theft is an increasingly thorny problem for most Americans, as we use digital systems and telephone communications for the vast majority of transactions and business we perform. But did you know identity theft is booming in some cities?

Recently, online privacy and identity theft protection news outlet All About Cookies analyzed data from the Federal Trade Commission to find which of the U.S.’s 100 largest cities had the biggest increases in identity theft from 2019 to 2023.

And Iowa, Des Moines, placed second nationally.

Researchers note that Des Moines is one of only three cities not located in the northeast to make the top 10 list of cities with the biggest increases in identity theft . Analysts found that Des Moines reported 219 cases of ID theft per 100,000 residents in 2023.

This increase of 67% from 2022 (131) is the second-largest increase for any city, says All About Cookies. The outlet notes, however, that though Des Moines’ 67% increase seems sharp, it’s still much less dramatic than the rise seen by the list’s number one city, Hartford, Connecticut.

Here’s a peek at the cities seeing the biggest increases in ID theft:

But Iowans don’t need to fear, necessarily. Researchers noted that identity theft reports increased nationally by 48% overall, from 2019 to 2023. Moreover, identity theft reports are actually down from a five-year high of 237 reports per 100,000 people in 2021.

Some cities even saw double-digit decreases in identity thefts, including Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which saw a 65% decrease year-over-year.

Interested in ways to keep your identity safe online ? All About the Cookies also has information and resources you can use right now, including education about what your information can reveal about you and ways to monitor your identity.

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