Tax scams are on the rise — here's which states are most and least at risk for identity theft

Identity theft can strike anyone, anywhere. Even during tax season.

places in the US may be more susceptible to the crimes.

The average loss in cases of identity theft is $2,678 and $2,935 for credit card fraud, but the amount varies greatly between different states.

RewardExpert found out which states are the biggest targets for credit card fraud and identity theft and where these financial breaches happen less frequently. In 2016, credit card fraud increased nationally by 5.15% — but that was offset by a drop in identity theft of 16.05%.

To rank each state in terms of security, RewardExpert took the incidence rate of credit card fraud and identity theft in each state and adjusted for the financial severity of the losses. They also took into account year-over-year trends, and data from the FBI's Internet Complaint Center.

The southwest is a particularly bad geographic region for these crimes with Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and California all being among the 10 states most at risk. States in the Great Plains have less to worry about: Nebraska, Wyoming, South Dakota, and North Dakota are several of the 10 safest states.

Below, find all 50 states ranked from the highest risk of identity theft and credit card fraud to the least.

We've also included each state's per capita income, the frequency of credit card fraud and identity theft (per 100,000 residents), and the average loss associated with both.

50. Nevada

Per capita income: $52,431

Credit card fraud per capita: 872 cases per 100,000 residents

Identity theft per capita: 135.8 cases per 100,000 residents

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

49. California

Per capita income: $64,500

Credit card fraud per capita: 713.1

Identity theft per capita: 139.5

Average credit card fraud loss: $3,667.90

Average ID theft loss:

48. New Mexico

Per capita income: $48,382

Credit card fraud per capita: 667.9

Identity theft per capita: 96.9

Average credit card fraud loss: $3,647.95

Average ID theft loss: $4,325.06

47. Florida

Per capita income: $49,426

Credit card fraud per capita: 1,305.6

Identity theft per capita: 166.8

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

46. Texas

Per capita income: $55,653

Credit card fraud per capita: 952.3

Identity theft per capita: 119.2

Average credit card fraud loss: $7,274.49

Average ID theft loss:

45. Michigan

Per capita income: $51,084

Credit card fraud per capita: 1,083.3

Identity theft per capita: 175.6

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

44. Virginia

Per capita income: $66,262

Credit card fraud per capita: 701.3

Identity theft per capita: 104.3

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss: $1,921.80

43. Arizona

Per capita income: $51,492

Credit card fraud per capita: 656.9

Identity theft per capita: 126.2

Average credit card fraud loss: $

Average ID theft loss:

42. Illinois

Per capita income: $59,588

Credit card fraud per capita: 576.7

Identity theft per capita: 138

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

41. Washington

Per capita income: $64,129

Credit card fraud per capita: 554.7

Identity theft per capita: 114

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

40. Maryland

Per capita income: $75847

Credit card fraud per capita: 807.7

Identity theft per capita: 137.1

Average credit card fraud loss: $

Average ID theft loss:

39. Delaware

Per capita income: $61,255

Credit card fraud per capita: 797.5

Identity theft per capita: 155.9

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

38. Georgia

Per capita income: $51,244

Credit card fraud per capita: 1136.6

Identity theft per capita: 124

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

37. Colorado

Per capita income: $75,628

Credit card fraud per capita: 609.1

Identity theft per capita: 112

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

36. New York

Per capita income: $60,850

Credit card fraud per capita: 567.3

Identity theft per capita: 102.3

Average credit card fraud loss: $

Average ID theft loss:

35. Tennessee

Per capita income: $47,275

Credit card fraud per capita: 767.3

Identity theft per capita: 86

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

34. Alabama

Per capita income: $44,765

Credit card fraud per capita: 809

Identity theft per capita: 82.4

Average credit card fraud loss: $

Average ID theft loss:

33. South Carolina

Per capita income: $47,238

Credit card fraud per capita: 700.8

Identity theft per capita: 89.5

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

32. Massachusetts

Per capita income: $70,628

Credit card fraud per capita: 547.2

Identity theft per capita: 107

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

31. Oregon

Per capita income: $54,148

Credit card fraud per capita: 546.8

Identity theft per capita: 105.3

Average credit card fraud loss: $

Average ID theft loss:

30. North Carolina

Per capita income: $47,830

Credit card fraud per capita: 641.2

Identity theft per capita: 96.1

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

29. Missouri

Per capita income: $50,238

Credit card fraud per capita: 706.5

Identity theft per capita: 136.1

Average credit card fraud loss: $

Average ID theft loss:

28. Connecticut

Per capita income: $63,909

Credit card fraud per capita: 590.4

Identity theft per capita: 137.9

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

27. Pennsylvania

Per capita income: $55,702

Credit card fraud per capita: 659.2

Identity theft per capita: 109.7

Average credit card fraud loss: $

Average ID theft loss:

26. New Jersey

Per capita income: $72,222

Credit card fraud per capita: 636.7

Identity theft per capita: 111.5

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

25. Vermont

Per capita income: $56,990

Credit card fraud per capita: 405.4

Identity theft per capita: 62

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

24. Minnesota

Per capita income: $63,488

Credit card fraud per capita: 470.7

Identity theft per capita: 107.2

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

23. Indiana

Per capita income: $50,532

Credit card fraud per capita: 562.8

Identity theft per capita: 76.8

Average credit card fraud loss: $

Average ID theft loss:

22. Kentucky

Per capita income: $45,215

Credit card fraud per capita: 539.7

Identity theft per capita: 65.3

Average credit card fraud loss: $

Average ID theft loss:

21. Rhode Island

Per capita income: $58,073

Credit card fraud per capita: 682.1

Identity theft per capita: 115.1

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

20. Ohio

Per capita income: $51,075

Credit card fraud per capita: 664.8

Identity theft per capita: 94.8

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

19. Alaska

Per capita income: $73,355

Credit card fraud per capita: 358.9

Identity theft per capita: 96.1

Average credit card fraud loss: $

Average ID theft loss:

18. Utah

Per capita income: $62,912

Credit card fraud per capita: 417.9

Identity theft per capita: 83.2

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

17. Mississippi

Per capita income: $40,593

Credit card fraud per capita: 609.3

Identity theft per capita: 79.6

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

16. Kansas

Per capita income: $53,906

Credit card fraud per capita: 503.4

Identity theft per capita: 87.1

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

15. New Hampshire

Per capita income: $70,303

Credit card fraud per capita: 563.8

Identity theft per capita: 101.3

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

14. Idaho

Per capita income: $48,275

Credit card fraud per capita: 463.4

Identity theft per capita: 80.1

Average credit card fraud loss: $

Average ID theft loss:

13. Montana

Per capita income: $49,509

Credit card fraud per capita: 441.2

Identity theft per capita: 68.2

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

12. West Virginia

Per capita income: $42,019

Credit card fraud per capita: 543.3

Identity theft per capita: 59.7

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

11. Oklahoma

Per capita income: $48,568

Credit card fraud per capita: 518.7

Identity theft per capita: 85.1

Average credit card fraud loss: $6,696.69

Average ID theft loss:

10. Hawaii

Per capita income: $73,486

Credit card fraud per capita: 403.8

Identity theft per capita: 55.2

Average credit card fraud loss: $

Average ID theft loss:

9. Louisiana

Per capita income: $45,727

Credit card fraud per capita: 701.9

Identity theft per capita: 69.7

Average credit card fraud loss: $

Average ID theft loss:

8. Wisconsin

Per capita income: $55,638

Credit card fraud per capita: 465.9

Identity theft per capita: 87.5

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

7. Nebraska

Per capita income: $54,996

Credit card fraud per capita: 411.9

Identity theft per capita: 83.1

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

6. Arkansas

Per capita income: $41,995

Credit card fraud per capita: 519

Identity theft per capita: 77.2

Average credit card fraud loss: $

Average ID theft loss:

5. Maine

Per capita income: $51,494

Credit card fraud per capita: 423.7

Identity theft per capita: 87.9

Average credit card fraud loss: $

Average ID theft loss:

4. North Dakota

Per capita income: $60,557

Credit card fraud per capita: 284.7

Identity theft per capita: 61.3

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

3. Wyoming

Per capita income: $60,214

Credit card fraud per capita: 416.2

Identity theft per capita: 74.6

Average credit card fraud loss: $

Average ID theft loss:

2. South Dakota

Per capita income: $53,017

Credit card fraud per capita: 320.6

Identity theft per capita: 58.1

Average credit card fraud loss:

Average ID theft loss:

1. Iowa

Per capita income: $54,736

Credit card fraud per capita: 342.5

Identity theft per capita: 68.1

Average credit card fraud loss: $

Average ID theft loss:

Tax scams are on the rise — here's which states are most and least at risk for identity theft

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