Who Commits Fraud?

When it comes to people who are most likely to commit fraud, who do you imagine? High-level execs? Underground hacker-types?

You might be surprised to learn that, unlike most other crimes, there's no demographic or psychological difference between fraudsters and the general public. They're less likely than other types of criminals to have prior criminal records, are less likely to be caught, and are less likely to serve extended sentences. So it's fairly impossible to predict which trusted individuals will commit fraud.

Here's a (not so) fun fact:

Did you know that Nevada ranked #1 in incidences of reported fraud (per capita) in 2019? And the actual case numbers are potentially much higher!

The Federal Trade Commission’s annual report on fraud is only one source of data. Other sources include the attorney general’s office or consumer affairs. Many incidents remain unreported due to the shame felt by victims of fraud or because they just don't consider the option.