How Vulnerable Is Your State to Identity Theft & Fraud?

After the holiday shopping season, many consumers were in a panic while bustling through malls and heading online to shop 'till they (literally and figuratively) dropped. Credit cards were whipped out left and right, allowing thieves potential access to secure and personal information.

Each year, far too many people fall victim to identity theft and fraud, and the free credit-monitoring website, WalletHub, released a thorough analysis covering six key metrics, as to which states were most vulnerable to identity theft and fraud in 2016.

As per the Identity Theft Resource Center's Data Breach Report, more than 900 breaches with access to 34 million+ records took place last year. If you were one of the many people affected, you already know how this can change your life.

The states which were declared most vulnerable were:

  • 1.District of Columbia
  • 2.California
  • 3.Florida
  • 4.Massachusetts
  • 5.Nevada
  • 6.Illinois
  • 7.Texas
  • 8.Michigan
  • 9.Missouri
  • 10.Connecticut

Those which were the least vulnerable to such crimes were:

  • 1.South Dakota
  • 2.Maine
  • 3.West Virginia
  • 4.Arkansas
  • 5.North Dakota
  • 6.Iowa
  • 7.Montana
  • 8.Idaho
  • 9.Kentucky
  • 10.Oklahoma

The full report with information for each state can be reviewed on WalletHub.

As per War On ID Theft, "Every state has some or the other factor which makes it more or less vulnerable to identity theft. Factors such as unemployment, a large population of elderly people, a high tourist ratio, etc. lead to identity thefts."

In the meantime, take a moment to learn how to protect yourself from identity theft. Consider credit monitoring and using common sense online and while emailing.

Some people are more vulnerable than others. An AARP study shows that certain behaviors and experiences make a difference. "Researchers compared the life experiences of victims and non-victims, based on a nationwide survey of 11,000 adults. They found that online fraud victims have experienced 53 percent more negative life events. They felt more isolated, were twice as likely to have lost a job, worried more about debt and were nearly twice as likely to have experienced a negative change in financial status in the last two years."

Learn more about personal habits and traits you may have that can put you at risk and make appropriate changes for your protection.

For more info on how to protect your identity and credit, read these important tips from USA.gov. Don't let your credit status get ruined or lose valuable time and money getting your personal information and status back in order.

PayPath
Follow Us on

Southwest Companion Pass

There’s all this talk about solo travel. And for good reason — no wasting precious time waiting for others to get their act together, take the plans out of the group chat and actually buy the tickets. Going solo, you can be spontaneous. You can plan your trips according to your precise tastes. You can hop on any flight and fly awayyyyyy.

Keep readingShow less

Jobs don't have to be miserable!

Photo by Madrona Rose on Unsplash

Though the wave of tech layoffs and the threat of a recession has overshadowed yesteryear's news of the great recession, everywhere you look, employees are asking for more — and getting it. Though this time of uncertainty could have given employers back the power, it's still in the hands of the workforce.

From Gen-Z's boundary setting and penchant for quiet quitting when they're being under-recognized, to labor unions and even the WGA writer's strike, we're in an era where workers can make demands about how they work — and where they work. And for many people, they want to work from home.

Keep readingShow less

Oh, how far we’ve come! Recently, it was revealed that — finally! — women CEOs at Fortune 500 companies outnumber male CEOs named John. A dubious milestone, but it's something to celebrate.

Though women have come pretty far in society, the progress we've made is far from enough. From the pay gap to daily microaggressions, it’s still obvious that women are treated as lesser than in society. This is especially clear when you look at how few female-founded businesses there are.

Keep readingShow less