The number of identity theft victims in America has skyrocketed from 43% to 78% within a single year—and the consequences are devastating. Credit scores are plunging, and over half of those affected now carry genuine debt they never incurred. Alarmingly, three in five Americans report that a child within their family has been targeted by identity theft, a sharp increase from just 23% last year.
Debt.com's December 2025 survey of 1,000 US adults paints a stark picture of this new reality. AI technology enables criminals to open dozens of fake accounts overnight. They craft scam messages that sound like trusted friends or family members. They generate fake IDs that can pass verification checks with alarming ease. Howard Dvorkin, CPA and chairman of Debt.com, warns, 'Consumers are fighting a battle with tools that were built for a different era. Fraudsters now use AI to scale their crimes faster than families can respond."
