PROVIDENCE – Identity theft reports in Rhode Island have grown 231% since 2019, the seventh-largest increase across the U.S., according to a report by QuoteWizard.com LLC published June 13.
Data from the internet marketing service based in Seattle showed identity thefts in the Ocean State have grown to 841 in 2022 compared with 254 in 2019. Researchers used Federal Trade Commission data on identity theft reports from 2019 and 2022 to determine the rankings. Identity thefts were split into seven categories – credit card fraud, loan or lease fraud, phone or utilities fraud, bank fraud, employment or tax-related fraud, and government documents or government benefits fraud.
Identity theft reports have risen 396% in Louisiana since 2019, the highest increase in the nation. Identity theft reports in that state have jumped from 1,732 in 2019 to 8,598 in 2022. Kansas had the second-highest jump at 328%, Delaware was third at 269%, Pennsylvania was fourth at 268% and Mississippi was fifth at 252%.
Data showed New Hampshire had the lowest identity theft increase at 32%. Identity thefts in the Granite State have grown from 384 in 2019 to 507 in 2022. Maine, Montana, Hawaii and Nebraska rounded out the bottom five.
Massachusetts was No. 27. The Bay State’s identity theft rate has grown 123% to 4,137 in 2022 from 1,854 in 2019.
Across the rest of New England, Vermont was No. 34 with an identity theft rate increase of 114%, Connecticut was No. 39 with an identity theft rate increase of 83% and Maine was No. 49 with an identity theft rate increase of 46%.
The full report can be found here.
