Individuals who fall victim to scams are often being manipulated into making impulsive decisions from online fraudsters. These schemes can result in the loss of money or personal information, forcing victims to take drastic measures, such as freezing their accounts or calling up companies where their stolen identity may have been used.
The types of scams can vary. Some may be more elaborate, like an imposter scam, while others could be more in the weeds, such as internet fraud.
Where individuals succumb to a scam can also vary, according to injury lawyers Bader Scott, who conducted the fraud case study. The firm gathered and compiled data from individuals who reported scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) between April 2023 and March 2024. To make make sure the comparisons were fair, they scaled each state’s population with the highest volume per 100,000 residents.
The most common scams? Imposter scams and online shopping fraud. Overall, the FTC reported nearly 50 scams related to travel, vacation, and timeshare plans.
Lets take a look at the 10 U.S. states hit by scammers the most, which types of scams plagued individuals, and the number of fraud reports the FTC received during that time window.
