TL;DR: Javelin Strategy & Research's most recent Identity Fraud Study found identity fraud (excluding scams) cost Americans $27.3 billion across 18 million victims in 2025 — an average of roughly $1,500 per victim, though individual losses vary widely by case.
Javelin Strategy & Research's most recent Identity Fraud Study found identity fraud (excluding scams) cost Americans $27.3 billion across 18 million victims in 2025 — an average of roughly $1,500 per victim, though individual losses vary widely by case.
What the Data Shows
Averages can understate the real risk: a smaller share of victims lose tens of thousands of dollars while many others lose little to nothing, which is why acting fast to freeze credit and dispute charges matters more than the average figure suggests.
Why This Matters
Numbers like these are a reminder that this isn’t a rare event — it’s a routine risk. Checking whether your own information has already been exposed takes 30 seconds and costs nothing.
If this looks similar to something else you've seen, it's worth reading Bank Fraud Statistics 2026.
This pattern shows up elsewhere too — see Business Email Compromise Statistics 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the numbers actually show?
Javelin Strategy & Research's most recent Identity Fraud Study found identity fraud (excluding scams) cost Americans $27.3 billion across 18 million victims in 2025 — an average of roughly $1,500 per victim, though individual losses vary widely by case.
What does this mean for you?
Averages can understate the real risk: a smaller share of victims lose tens of thousands of dollars while many others lose little to nothing, which is why acting fast to freeze credit and dispute charges matters more than the average figure suggests.
Where does this data come from?
This data is drawn from Javelin Strategy & Research – Identity Fraud Study, a primary reporting source for fraud and identity theft data.