Identity Theft

How Often Does Identity Theft Occur in the U.S.?

1. Once every minute.
2. Once 30 seconds.
3. Once every 3 seconds.

If you guessed "once every 3 seconds," you're right. According to a recent Javelin Strategy and Research report, about 8 million Americans fall victim to identity theft each year. This means that nearly 22,000 U.S. consumers become ID theft victims each day -- or 913 per hour, 15 each minute, and roughly one every three seconds.

The FTC ranks identity theft as its most common consumer complaint. On average, victims pay $631 per incident to set things straight. This adds up to a total loss of billions of dollars each year -- not to mention all the time spent and aggravation and anxiety victims encounter once they discover their identities have been compromised.