A Quarter of Scam Victims Have Considered Self-Harm

A Quarter of Scam Victims Have Considered Self-Harm

Identity fraud and scams are having a significant and growing impact on victims’ mental health, according to a new study from the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC).

The US non-profit, which tracks publicly reported data breaches and offers support and advice to victims, interviewed 1033 “general consumers” as well as a sample of those self-identifying as victims, to compile its 2025 Consumer Impact Report.

It revealed that a quarter of consumers had “seriously considered self-harm” after falling victim to an identity crime; that’s up 20 percentage points from the previous year.

The figure rose to 68% of self-identified victimsbut fell to 14% of victims who contacted the ITRC, indicating the benefits of seeking professional help following such an incident.

Read more on identity crimes: Reported Impersonation Scams Surge 148% as AI Takes Hold

The report also revealed an increase in the number of identity crime victims reporting more than one compromise. It said 32% of respondents reported being victimized twiceand 25% three times in the past year, up from 24% and 17% respectively.

Fraud Losses Mount

The scale of losses is also significantand growing in every band, according to the ITRC. The report claimed that over 20% of victims reported losses of over $100,000 and over 10% had lost at least $1m.

It may be that those losing large sums like these are more likely to seek third-party help; a bigger proportion of “general consumer” victims experience lower-value crimes. Some 20% reported losses under $500 in 2025, the ITRC confirmed.

ITRC CEO, Eva Velasquez, said the report had uncovered some “alarming trends” in the human cost of identity fraud.

“The findings in the2025 Consumer Impact Reportare not just data points. It is a signal that support is crucial for victims,” she added.

“It is a call for action for policymakers, financial institutions, technology companies and consumers. The people being harmed are real. Their pain is real. For them, we should respond with humanity and urgency and confront the crisis head-on.”

Social media account takeover emerged as the most common form of identity crime over the past year. Some 35% of general consumer victims were hit, up six percentage points from 2024.

Over two-thirds of respondents claimed that AI will be a major battleground for identity security in the future.

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