TL;DR: The Identity Theft Resource Center recorded more than 1.35 billion data breach notices sent to individuals in 2024 alone, a 211% increase from 2023's 419 million, driven largely by a handful of mega-breaches.
The Identity Theft Resource Center recorded more than 1.35 billion data breach notices sent to individuals in 2024 alone, a 211% increase from 2023's 419 million, driven largely by a handful of mega-breaches.
What the Data Shows
That notice count isn't the same as 1.35 billion unique people — many individuals receive multiple notices in a year as their data turns up in more than one breach — but it underscores how routine breach exposure has become for the average person.
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 Identity Theft Statistics 2026: What the Latest Data Shows (US).
This pattern shows up elsewhere too — see Identity Theft Statistics in Australia 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the numbers actually show?
The Identity Theft Resource Center recorded more than 1.35 billion data breach notices sent to individuals in 2024 alone, a 211% increase from 2023's 419 million, driven largely by a handful of mega-breaches.
What does this mean for you?
That notice count isn't the same as 1.35 billion unique people — many individuals receive multiple notices in a year as their data turns up in more than one breach — but it underscores how routine breach exposure has become for the average person.
Where does this data come from?
This data is drawn from ITRC – 2024 Annual Data Breach Report, a primary reporting source for fraud and identity theft data.