Identity Theft Resource Center 2025 Consumer Impact Report: Financial & Emotional Impacts Rise Across the Board; AI is Seen as a Threat

Losses that total between $10,000 to more than $1 million are now common, helping to drive high levels of emotional distress, including thoughts of self-harm

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Identity Theft Resource Center^® (ITRC), a nationally recognized nonprofit organization established to support victims of identity crime, has published its 2025 Consumer Impact Report, supported by Experian. The report goes beyond the basic financial implications of identity crimes and explores the lost opportunities as well as the emotional and physical impacts experienced by victims resulting from the crimes. The findings in the 2025 Consumer Impact Report reveal rising financial and emotional impacts from identity theft, fraud and scams, as well as an increase in repeat attacks and other concerns, while overall reports of identity misuse declined slightly.

For the report, the ITRC surveyed victims who contacted the ITRC separately and general consumers who were victims of identity crimes. According to the responses, emotional impacts, repeat victimization rates and financial impacts are more severe compared to previous years in both victim groups.

Download the ITRC's 2025 Consumer Impact Report

Approximately 25 percent of the total number of general consumer respondents answered "Yes" when asked if they had "seriously considered self-harm" as a way of dealing with your identity theft, fraud or scam." When considering only those who self-identified as a victim, 67.8 percent responded "Yes."

Among victims who contacted the ITRC, 14.4 percent of the group answered "Yes" to the identical question, a morethan two percentage point increase from 2024. The ITRC believes the massive shift in numbers between the two populations is due to ITRC victims taking a crucial step to seek help. In contrast, the general population victims are far more likely to navigate the crisis alone.

Out of the general population victims in 2025, 31.5 percent reported being victimized twice, and 24.6 percent were victimized three times within the past year. In 2024, 24.1 percent of the general population victims surveyed reported two incidents, and 16.9 percent reported three incidents. The ITRC victim cohort also demonstrates a high rate of repeat victimization. In 2024, 21.4 percent had been victimized four or more times. In 2025, that figure, while lower, was still a significant 15.2 percent.

The 2025 Consumer Impact Report highlights that ITRC victims often face staggering financial losses. More than 20 percent reported losses exceeding $100,000, and more than ten percent lost at least $1 million. Losses reported to the ITRC increased in every band, a trend that indicates the financial stakes for the most severe cases of identity crime are rising across the board.

While self-identified victims in the general population also suffer substantial losses, the distribution is different. In 2025, 36.9 percent of this group reported losses exceeding $10,000, a rate approaching that of the ITRC cohort. However, a larger proportion of the general population victims experience lower-value crimes; 19.6 percent reported losses under $500 in 2025.

"We have uncovered alarming trends in relation to the human costs of identity crimes," said Eva Velasquez, CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center. "The findings in the 2025 Consumer Impact Report are not just data points. It is a signal that support is crucial for victims. It is a call for action for policymakers, financial institutions, technology companies and consumers. The people being harmed are real. Their pain is real. For them, we should respond with humanity and urgency and confront the crisis head-on."

"Technology continues to reshape the identity crime landscape as both a tool for protection and a weapon for exploitation. The 2025 Consumer Impact Report highlights how artificial intelligence is increasingly perceived as a threat, yet it also holds promise for strengthening defenses. At Experian, we are committed to harnessing the power of innovation responsibly, helping consumers stay ahead of evolving risks while supporting them through recovery with empathy and expertise," said Michael Bruemmer, Vice President of Experian Global Breach Data Resolution and Consumer Protection.

Some of the Other Findings in the 2025 Consumer Impact Report Include:

• Social media takeover is the top threat for the general public. It has become the most commonly reported form of identity misuse (35.3 percent of general consumer victims in 2025, up from 29.4 percent in 2024). ITRC victims' experiences are dominated by more complex and often financially-oriented crimes, such as fraudulent applications for loans or credit cards.
• Victims and general consumers express concern around Artificial Intelligence (AI) to varying degrees. There is a widespread belief among victims that AI is already playing a significant role in the crimes committed against them, though this perception is stronger among the general population. Regardless of the role AI may have played in past crimes, more than two-thirds of identity theft, fraud and scam victims and general consumers believe AI will be a primary battleground for identity security in the future.

Consumers and victims of identity theft, fraud and scams can receive free support and guidance from a knowledgeable ITRC advisor by calling or texting 888.400.5530 or visiting www.idtheftcenter.org to live chat. 

About the ITRC's 2025 Consumer Impact Report

From August 2024 to July 2025, the ITRC responded to requests for direct assistance from 4,122 individuals seeking help with addressing the impacts of identity theft, fraud and scams, as well as requests for identity protection information. In August 2025, the ITRC sent emails to a representative sample of those individuals who self-identified as victims, four percent (4%) of whom responded by completing an online survey questionnaire administered by SurveyMonkey.

To get a broader view of the trends and impacts affecting consumers in general, we asked similar questions to a group of 1,033 general consumers who may or may not have been a victim of an identity crime. These general consumers completed a similar, but not identical, online survey questionnaire to the ITRC victims.

About the Identity Theft Resource Center

Founded in 1999, the Identity Theft Resource Center^® (ITRC) is a national nonprofit organization established to empower and guide consumers, victims, business and government to minimize risk and mitigate the impact of identity compromise and crime. Through public and private support, the ITRC provides no-cost victim assistance and consumer education through its website live chat idtheftcenter.org and toll-free phone number 888.400.5530. The ITRC also equips consumers and businesses with information about recent data breaches through its data breach tracking tool. The ITRC offers help to specific populations, including the deaf/hard of hearing and blind/low vision communities.

About Experian

Experian is a global data and technology company, powering opportunities for people and businesses around the world. We help to redefine lending practices, uncover and prevent fraud, simplify healthcare, deliver digital marketing solutions, and gain deeper insights into the automotive market, all using our unique combination of data, analytics and software. We also assist millions of people to realize their financial goals and help them to save time and money.

We operate across a range of markets, from financial services to healthcare, automotive, agrifinance, insurance, and many more industry segments.

We invest in talented people and new advanced technologies to unlock the power of data and innovate. As a FTSE 100 Index company listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN), we have a team of 25,200 people across 32 countries. Our corporate headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland. Learn more at experianplc.com.

SOURCE Identity Theft Resource Center