Internet Crimes by State: Over Half of Americans Hit by Online Security Breaches 

As cybercrime continues to evolve, the financial impact it’s having across the United States is growing more serious.

To better understand that toll, we analyzed data from the FBI’s Internet Crime Report and surveyed Americans about their experiences with Internet crimes and online security habits.

Many feel it’s not a matter of not if, but when the next online breach will strike them (and their data).

Alaska, Nevada, and Delaware are the states hardest hit by internet crimes. According to the latest FBI data, Alaska had 318.8 complaints of internet crimes per 100,000 residents, Nevada had 309.7 reports, and Delaware recorded 260.4 per capita.

Rounding out the top five of the states with the most internet crimes is Arizona (4th) and California (5th). Colorado, Washington, South Dakota, Florida, and South Carolina complete the top 10. The states with the fewest complaints include North Dakota, Kansas, and Mississippi.

Some states are being hit harder financially by internet crimes than others. The state losing the most money to internet crimes per 100,000 is Nevada at $6.2 million. Following Nevada are California, New Jersey, Arizona, and Alaska, each losing $4 million or more.

“It’s clear some states have targets on their backs,” says Joe Warnimont, security and technical expert at HostingAdvice. “Sometimes, economic factors come into play. States like Nevada and New Jersey have specific industries revolving around gaming, entertainment, and tourism, all of which can signify concentrated levels of wealth or liquid assets to cybercriminals.”

“Perhaps more important,” argued Warnimont, “is the recognizability of each target state. An international criminal may be more likely to pursue people in Alaska, California, or Nevada simply because those states have worldwide recognition when compared to a place like Kansas.”

Our survey of over 1,000 Americans found 58% have been victims of online security breaches. Over half (54%) of survey respondents admit to being very concerned about the security of their data online. Some of those surveyed report feeling helpless, as 24% said they feel protecting their data is pointless because breaches happen so often.

The most common internet crime in the U.S. is phishing/spoofing. Phishing is a type of cybercrime that involves using fraudulent emails, websites, and text messages to get people to share sensitive information that can impact both personal and corporate cybersecurity.

Spoofing is when cybercriminals disguise an email address, name, or phone number to trick the potential victim into passing along sensitive information. In 2023 (the latest data available at the time of this report), 298,878 phishing/spoofing complaints were recorded across the U.S.

The other most common types of cybercrimes in the U.S. include personal data breaches, non-payment/non-delivery, extortion, DDoS attacks, and investment scams.

With technology ever-evolving, it’s no secret that cybercrimes are getting more sophisticated. Among survey respondents, 80% said they believe online security threats will increase over the next five years, but less than half (49%) said they are only somewhat familiar with online security threats.

When asked which generation is most vulnerable to online security threats, 72% of respondents said baby boomers. On the other hand, 47% think millennials are most equipped to handle these types of threats.

More than half (57%) of respondents were impacted by one security breach or more in 2024, and 1 in 10 were impacted by more than three! Among them, 17% reported losing money to an online security breach, with the average loss coming out to $1,320.

With cybercrime evolving rapidly, many Americans are trying to adopt a variety of cybersecurity practices. The top five actions survey respondents take to protect themselves include:

1. Using strong, unique passwords
2. Avoiding clicking on unknown links
3. Enabling two-factor authentication
4. Updating software and apps regularly
5. Using antivirus or anti-malware programs

However, nearly 1 in 6 admit to having stopped taking certain precautions (i.e., changing passwords) because they feel they’re ineffective. While passwords can be leaked, it’s important to take whatever measures you can to protect your accounts and data. Update your passwords every six months, set up two-factor authentication, and be sure to stay up-to-date about recent cybercrimes.

In October 2024, we surveyed 1,006 Americans about their experiences with cybercrimes. Among respondents, 49% were men, 48% were women, and 2% were non-binary or preferred not to answer. Respondents ranged in age from 18 to 86, with an average age of 40.

To determine the states most impacted by internet crimes and the amount of money lost, we analyzed data from the FBI’s 2023 Internet Crime Report per 100,000 based on population data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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