San Diego - New York, California, Nevada and Arizona have the highest rates of identity fraud, according to research from San Diego-based ID Analytics Inc. The analytical research—based on actual and attempted frauds rather than consumer victim reports—also shows that the highest metropolitan area rates of identity fraud are in New York, while the states with the lowest rates of identity fraud are Wyoming, Vermont and Montana.
By analyzing data from its ID Network, a third-party identity fraud prevention system, ID Analytics is able to gain a quantitative understanding of the nature of identity fraud. The ID Network comprises three billion identity elements—including names, addresses, Social Security numbers and phone numbers—which are contributed in real time, by organizations spanning multiple industries, for the sole purpose of preventing identity fraud.
"It's significant that these are the first publicly-available, statistically valid research findings based on actual data about frauds. Previous research from other sources has had to rely on consumer victim reports, which are, by their nature, incomplete" says Stephen Coggeshall, ID Analytics chief technology officer and the author of the research. "What's most meaningful about these findings is that they can help identify specific areas where identity criminals may be operating in an organized manner. We've actually analyzed the data down to the five-digit zip code level which gives precise visibility into concentrations of identity fraud, which may indicate fraud rings or some other criminal activity."
The ten states with the highest rates of identity fraud are:
- New York
- California
- Nevada
- Arizona
- Illinois
- Hawaii
- Oregon
- Michigan
- Washington
- Texas
The ten states with the lowest rates of identity fraud are:
- Wyoming
- Vermont
- Montana
- North Dakota
- New Hampshire
- Ohio
- Maine
- Iowa
- West Virginia
- South Dakota
When examined at a 3-digit zip code level, the ten metropolitan areas with the highest identity fraud rates are:
- New York
- Detroit, Mich.
- Los Angeles
- Little Rock, Ark.
- Greenville, Miss.
- Atlanta
- Phoenix
- Portland, Ore.
- Dallas
- Springfield, Ill.
"This new data from ID Analytics is in line with what we've heard from the victims themselves, and from law enforcement," says Jay Foley, executive director of the Identity Theft Resource Center, San Diego. "It's our hope that businesses will use this new research to further bolster their efforts in the fight against identity fraud, and that consumers living in these areas will be especially vigilant in protecting themselves."
Source: ID Analytics Inc.
