Scams in North Carolina: Where Did $190 Million Go?
North Carolina was popular with scammers last year. The state recorded nearly $190 million in losses to fraud in 2023. But where did that money go? Here are biggest scams in North Carolina.
The largest categories for fraud in North Carolina are credit scams and identity theft. Together, they account for a whopping 36% of all reports made to the Federal Trade Commission. Credit scams often involve false or inaccurate reporting or improper use of consumer information. Information furnishers such as credit bureaus and tenant screening companies are involved in 18% of North Carolina’s fraud complaints.
Identity theft also accounts for 18% of fraud complaints in the Tarheel State. The crime often involves someone using the personal information of another individual without permission. Identity theft can cause damage to the unsuspecting party’s credit and is often hard to catch. Experts say consumers can avoid identity theft frauds by keeping a close eye on financial statements.
Imposter scams are the third most common type of fraud in North Carolina, accounting for around 14% of complaints. These scams often involve a request for money from a person claiming to be someone you know. Scammers usually ask for a wire transfer or a gift card purchase to “help them out of a jam.”
The nationwide study was conducted by QR code generator QRFY, and analyzed data from the FTC to identify the most common types of fraud in each state. North Carolina was found to be the 29th most defrauded state in the US based on money lost relative to the state’s population size.
