Inside America’s rising fraud hotspots: 2026 update

kAmuC2F5 92D BF:4<=J 364@>6 @?6 @7 E96 72DE6DE\8C@H:?8 4C:>6D :? E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D] p44@C5:?8 E@ E96 u%r[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]7E4]8@G^?6HD\6G6?ED^?6HD^AC6DD\C6=62D6D^a_ae^_e^7E4\52E2\D9@H\A6@A=6\C6A@CE65\=@D:?8\b\A@:?E\d\3:==:@?\:>A@DE6C\D42>D\a_adQmp>6C:42?D C6A@CE65 =@D:?8 Sb]d 3:==:@? 5@==2CD E@ :>A@DE6C D42>D :? a_ad]k^2mk^Am

kAmpD @FC =:G6D >@G6 >@C6 2?5 >@C6 @?=:?6[ D42>>6CD 7:?5 ?6H 2?5 >@C6 4@G6CE H2JD E@ 252AE E@ E96 5:8:E2= =2?5D42A6] x? E96 A2DE[ D42>>6CD H6C6 =:>:E65 E@ E96 A6@A=6 :? E96:C G:4:?:EJj E@52J[ E96J 42? E2C86E E9@FD2?5D @7 A6@A=6 2E 2 E:>6]k^Am

kAms2E2 92D C6A62E65=J D9@H? E92E 7C2F5 E6?5D E@ @44FC :? 4=FDE6CDj D42>>6CD E6?5 E@ 8C2G:E2E6 E@H2C5D “9@EDA@ED” 7@C 2 H:56 G2C:6EJ @7 C62D@?D] pD DF49[ 46CE2:? 4:E:6D 2?5 >6EC@A@=:E2? DE2E:DE:42= 2C62D E6?5 E@ 36 >28?6ED 7@C 7C2F5F=6?E 24E:G:EJ]k^Am

kAmw6C6[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]A6@A=67:?56CD]4@>Qm!6@A=6u:?56CDk^2m E2<6D 2 =@@< 2E 7:G6 @7 p>6C:42’D 3:886DE 7C2F5 9@EDA@ED[ D:8?D @7 7C2F5F=6?E 24E:G:EJ[ 2?5 H2JD E92E J@F 42? AC@E64E J@FCD6=7 282:?DE :E]k^Am

k9bmx56?E:7J:?8 p>6C:42’D q:886DE uC2F5 w@EDA@EDk^9bm

kAmuC2F5 :D 6DD6?E:2==J 2?J D496>6 E92E EC:4<D 2 A6CD@? :?E@ 8:G:?8 2H2J >@?6J[ A6CD@?2= :?7@C>2E:@?[ A2DDH@C5D[ @C 2446DD E@ E96:C AC:G2E6 244@F?ED]k^Am

kAm%96D6 9@EDA@E C2?<:?8D 2C6 32D65 AC:>2C:=J @? E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^AF3=:4]E23=62F]4@>^2AA^AC@7:=6^7656C2=]EC256]4@>>:DD:@?^G:K^uC2F52?5xs%967E|2AD^p==#6A@CED3J$E2E6Qmu%r uC2F5 U2>Aj x56?E:EJ %967E |2ADk^2m[ 2?5 2=D@ 5C2H 7C@> E96 u%r’D >@DE C646?E=J 2G2:=23=6 ?2E:@?H:56 52E2 C6A@CE[ E96 a_ac r@?DF>6C $6?E:?6= }6EH@C< s2E2 q@@<] |6EC@A@=:E2? DE2E:DE:42= 2C62D 2C6 C2?<65 3J E96:C E@E2= ?F>36C @7 7C2F5 C6A@CED] |6EC@A@=:E2? 2C62D 2C6 C2?<65 FD:?8 7C2F5 C6A@CED A6C `__[___ C6D:56?ED]k^Am

kAmxE’D :>A@CE2?E E@ ?@E6 E92E 9:896C C6A@CE:?8 C2E6D 5@?’E ?646DD2C:=J >62? C6D:56?ED 2C6 >@C6 =:<6=J E@ 36 G:4E:>:K65j E96J >2J D:>A=J C67=64E E92E C6D:56?ED C6A@CE 7C2F5 >@C6 4@?D:DE6?E=J]k^Am

k9bm`_ #:D:?8 uC2F5 w@EDA@ED :? p>6C:42k^9bm

kAm(96C6 :D 7C2F5 92AA6?:?8 E96 >@DE :? E96 &?:E65 $E2E6Dn %96 7@==@H:?8 `_ >6EC@A@=:E2? 2C62D 4@?D:DE6?E=J C2?< 2>@?8 E96 9:896DE 7@C C6A@CE65 7C2F5 :? u%r 52E2]k^Am

kAm%96 52E2 36=@H :D A6C `__[___ C6D:56?EDik^Am

k@=mk=: 52E2\=:DE\:E6>\:5lQ6b2`bhb4b42efhf_d7d3b`7_e6c75`_a3QmkDEC@?8mw@>@D2DD2 $AC:?8D[ u=@C:52k^DEC@?8m – b_ck^=:mk=: 52E2\=:DE\:E6>\:5lQ6b__gce``4da4_45a7c6a6`3a5`42eehcQmkDEC@?8m~42=2[ u=@C:52k^DEC@?8m – ahgk^=:mk=: 52E2\=:DE\:E6>\:5lQ64dhcdbd3`775g7h33_4fdh`bh`7c7`cgQmkDEC@?8m!F?E2 v@C52[ u=@C:52k^DEC@?8m – ahfk^=:mk=: 52E2\=:DE\:E6>\:5lQ6c_ea56fec2afbddeg2hdf6eg6a42cd6cQmkDEC@?8ms6=E@?2\s2JE@?2 q6249\~C>@?5 q6249[ u=@C:52k^DEC@?8m – agdk^=:mk=: 52E2\=:DE\:E6>\:5lQ676e_27b3c26355h4dc7453cbfh3`6bf5QmkDEC@?8m(:=5H@@5\%96 ':==286D[ u=@C:52k^DEC@?8m – afek^=:mk=: 52E2\=:DE\:E6>\:5lQ67ec33a67dac`g6eh2`dg2hh55ffg_42gQmkDEC@?8m!C6D4@EE '2==6J\!C6D4@EE[ pC:K@?2k^DEC@?8m – afek^=:mk=: 52E2\=:DE\:E6>\:5lQ67_bb77f`hd357d22c`435ee34`4a7_b7QmkDEC@?8m!2=> q2J\|6=3@FC?6\%:EFDG:==6[ u=@C:52k^DEC@?8m – afdk^=:mk=: 52E2\=:DE\:E6>\:5lQ6`7c6b3f7_c`hc`6`f`f355g74g6e7a`3QmkDEC@?8m{2D '682D\w6?56CD@?\}@CE9 {2D '682D[ }6G252k^DEC@?8m – afbk^=:mk=: 52E2\=:DE\:E6>\:5lQ6`ffe6_4h`h25d3fa5g_`e5g`7`f2e66cQmkDEC@?8my24<D@?G:==6[ u=@C:52k^DEC@?8m – aefk^=:mk=: 52E2\=:DE\:E6>\:5lQ6a25fbd44f`ccb_g455b_d5ae5cebg2cdQmkDEC@?8m|JCE=6 q6249\r@?H2J\}@CE9 |JCE=6 q6249[ $@FE9 r2C@=:?2k^DEC@?8m – aeek^=:mk^@=m

kAmx?E6C6DE:?8=J[ u=@C:52’D >6EC@A@=:E2? 2C62D E2<6 FA 2 DE2886C:?8 D6G6? D=@ED @FE @7 E96 `_ 2G2:=23=6[ :?4=F5:?8 2== @7 E96 E@A 7:G6] u=@C:52 4@?D:DE6?E=J C2?<D 2>@?8 E96 DE2E6D H:E9 E96 9:896DE 7C2F5 C6A@CE:?8 C2E6D 7@C 2 9@DE @7 A@E6?E:2= C62D@?D[ :?4=F5:?8 :ED =2C86 2?5 8C@H:?8 A@AF=2E:@?[ :ED 9:89 AC@A@CE:@? @7 C6E:C66D[ :ED E@FC:DE\962GJ D62D@?D[ 2?5 :ED 9:89 =6G6=D @7 @?=:?6 GF=?6C23:=:E:6D]k^Am

kAm%96D6 A@E6?E:2= C62D@?D 2C6 ?@E F?:BF6 E@ u=@C:52] (9:=6 E96 u%r 5@6D?’E DA64:7:42==J :56?E:7J 2 C62D@? H9J 46CE2:? 2C62D C6A@CE 9:896C 7C2F5 C2E6D[ 6IA6CED 86?6C2==J A@:?E E@ >2?J @7 E96 27@C6>6?E:@?65 C62D@?D 24C@DD E96 3@2C5] x? @E96C H@C5D[ 2== &]$] DE2E6D[ :?4=F5:?8 E9@D6 3@E9 @? 2?5 @77 @7 E96 =:DE[ >2J 36 GF=?6C23=6 E@ 7C2F5F=6?E 24E:G:EJ 5F6 E@ 2 4@>3:?2E:@? @7 E96 7@==@H:?8 C62D@?D]k^Am

k9bmr@>>@? (2C?:?8 $:8?D @7 uC2F5k^9bm

kAm%9@F89 7C2F5 :D ?@E 4@?7:?65 E@ E96 27@C6>6?E:@?65 4:E:6D[ :E >2J 36 36?67:4:2= E@ <66A 2? 6J6 @FE 7@C DFDA:4:@FD 3692G:@C :7 J@F =:G6 :? @C ?62C @?6] x7 J@F ?@E:46 2?J @7 E96 7@==@H:?8 H2C?:?8 D:8?D[ AC@4665 H:E9 6IEC6>6 42FE:@?]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m$@>6@?6 rC62E6D 2 u2=D6 $6?D6 @7 &C86?4Jk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm$42>>6CD E9C:G6 @77 @7 72=D6 D6?D6D @7 FC86?4Jj E96J <?@H E92E AFEE:?8 A6@A=6 F?56C AC6DDFC6 >2<6D E96> >@C6 =:<6=J E@ 24E :>AF=D:G6=J] q6 H2CJ :7 D@>6@?6 4=2:>D E92E :>>65:2E6 A2J>6?E :D C6BF:C65[ E9C62E6?D F?;FDE =682= 24E:@?[ H2C?D @7 2? 6>6C86?4J :?G@=G:?8 J@FC =@G65 @?6D[ @C D2JD E92E J@FC 244@F?E H:== 36 4=@D65]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m#6BF:C:?8 &?FDF2= !2J>6?E |6E9@5Dk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm&?FDF2= A2J>6?E >6E9@5D :?4=F56ik^Am

kF=mk=: 52E2\=:DE\:E6>\:5lQ63gbe76dc7hb5d34f37`62ggcb_b7ghe2Qmv:7E r2C5Dk^=:mk=: 52E2\=:DE\:E6>\:5lQ6hd456afd427acg`7aa_abbd2d5b6__hdQmrCJAE@4FCC6?4Jk^=:mk=: 52E2\=:DE\:E6>\:5lQ6he`d24c43b6egag2a45ce4f2_7eca_e_Qm(:C6 %C2?D76CDk^=:mk=: 52E2\=:DE\:E6>\:5lQ6hf76dabfbh5b2dg323`a3g4e57a`4`f6Qm!2J>6?E pAADk^=:mk=: 52E2\=:DE\:E6>\:5lQ6bg`ca65bab22e2b`3757dh2ag`56hd4hQm$6?5:?8 r2D9 G:2 |2:=k^=:mk^F=m

kAm{68:E:>2E6 @C82?:K2E:@?D C2C6=J C6BF6DE E96D6 >6E9@5D] x7 D@>6@?6 2D<D J@F E@ FE:=:K6 E96>[ J@F D9@F=5 AC@4665 H:E9 42FE:@?]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m%96J pD< 7@C !6CD@?2= x?7@C>2E:@?k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAmx7 D@>6@?6 2D<D 7@C J@FC $@4:2= $64FC:EJ ?F>36C[ 32?<:?8 4C656?E:2=D[ 4C65:E 42C5 :?7@C>2E:@?[ @C 7@C J@F E@ D92C6 @?6\E:>6 G6C:7:42E:@? 4@56D[ :E’D 2 9F86 C65 7=28] {68:E:>2E6 @C82?:K2E:@?D H:== C2C6=J C6BF6DE D6?D:E:G6 :?7@C>2E:@? F?6IA64E65=J]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m$@>6E9:?8 $66>D ~77k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAms@6D E96 :?E6C24E:@? 766= DEC2?86n %CFDE J@FC :?DE:?4ED] !@@C 8C2>>2C[ 86?6C:4 8C66E:?8D[ 72<6 H63D:E6D[ 2?5 :?4@?D:DE6?E 56E2:=D 42? 36 DFC67:C6 D:8?D E92E D@>6E9:?8 :D 2HCJ]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mw@H E@ !C@E64E *@FCD6=7 uC@> uC2F5k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm{@@<:?8 E@ :>A=6>6?E AC6G6?E2E:G6 >62DFC6Dn (@C< E96 7@==@H:?8 E:AD :?E@ J@FC :?E6C24E:@?D E@ C65F46 J@FC =:<6=:9@@5 @7 72==:?8 G:4E:> E@ 7C2F5]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m#6D62C49 &?72>:=:2C !6@A=6 q67@C6 #6DA@?5:?8k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm$42>>6CD @7E6? :>A6CD@?2E6 A6@A=6 E@ 82:? E96:C G:4E:>D’ ECFDE] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]A6@A=67:?56CD]4@>^Qm!6@A=6 D62C49 E@@=Dk^2m 42? 96=A J@F :56?E:7J <?@H? D42>>6CD 2?5 C64@8?:K6 72<6 :56?E:E:6D]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m'6C:7J q67@C6 #6DA@?5:?8k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm|2<6 DFC6 E92E J@F @?=J 4@?E24E 3FD:?6DD6D FD:?8 E96:C @77:4:2= H63D:E6D 2?5 A9@?6 ?F>36CD] p=D@[ ?6G6C FE:=:K6 @C C6=J FA@? 4@?E24E :?7@C>2E:@? E92E’D AC@G:565 :? DEC2?86 @C DFDA:4:@FD >6DD286D]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m$=@H s@H? q67@C6 *@F $6?5 |@?6Jk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm$42>>6CD C6=J @? A2?:4 2?5 FC86?4Jj E96J <?@H :E >2<6D J@F >@C6 =:<6=J E@ 24E :>AF=D:G6=J] q67@C6 J@F D6?5 >@?6J[ J@F D9@F=5 A2FD6[ G6C:7J[ 2?5 4@?D:56C D66<:?8 2 D64@?5 @A:?:@?]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mq6 r2FE:@FD p3@FE {:?<D 2?5 pEE249>6?EDk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm}6G6C 4=:4< F?6IA64E65 =:?<D[ 2?5 =@@< 42C67F==J 2E &#{D 367@C6 J@F @A6? E96>] x7 A@DD:3=6[ >2?F2==J EJA:?8 @FE H63D:E6 255C6DD6D 42? 96=A J@F 6?DFC6 E92E J@F’C6 ?2G:82E:?8 E@ E96 4@CC64E H63D:E6]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m|@?:E@C *@FC u:?2?4:2= p44@F?EDk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm#6G:6H J@FC 32?< DE2E6>6?ED C68F=2C=J 7@C F?72>:=:2C 492C86D] x7 :E’D 2? @AE:@?[ 4@?D:56C D6EE:?8 FA 244@F?E 2=6CED D@ J@F’C6 ?@E:7:65 @7 DEC2?86 24E:G:EJ E96 >@>6?E :E 92AA6?D]k^Am

k9bmuC2F5 xD?’E {:>:E65 E@ w@E$A@E r:E:6Dk^9bm

kAmyFDE 3642FD6 J@F’C6 :? 2 9@EDA@E 4:EJ 5@6D?’E >62? J@F’C6 2E C:D<[ 2?5 ;FDE 3642FD6 J@F 2C6?’E 5@6D?’E >62? J@F’C6 C:D<\7C66] $42>>6CD @A6C2E6 ?2E:@?H:56[ 2?5 7C2F5 2EE6>AED C6>2:? 4@>>@? 24C@DD E96 3@2C5]k^Am

kAmpD 4C:>:?2=D 368:? E@ :?4C62D:?8=J 6IA=@:E @?=:?6 >6E9@5D[ E96J D=@H=J 49:A 2H2J 2E 86@8C2A9:4 3@F?52C:6D E92E @?46 A@D65 32CC:6CD E@ E96:C D496>6D] %2<:?8 AC642FE:@?D 2?5 DE2J:?8 :?7@C>65 42? >62? E96 5:776C6?46 36EH66? 2 7C2F5 2EE6>AE 2?5 2 DF446DD7F= 7C2F5F=6?E 2EE24<]k^Am

kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]A6@A=67:?56CD]4@>^3=@8^:?D:56\2>6C:42D\C:D:?8\7C2F5\9@EDA@ED^Qmk6>m%9:D DE@CJk^6>mk^2m k6>mH2D AC@5F465 3Jk^6>m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]A6@A=67:?56CD]4@>Qmk6>m!6@A=6u:?56CDk^6>mk^2m k6>m2?5 C6G:6H65 2?5 5:DEC:3FE65 3Jk^6>m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^9F3D]=2^"_b<=8$#_Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmk6>m$E24<6Ck^6>mk^2m]k^Am