NC residents lost nearly $29 million to scams in 2024. How to protect yourself

Having your personal data stolen can deal a major blow to your sense of security — and your wallet.

In fact, North Carolina residents suffered millions of dollars in financial losses to data breach-related scams last year, according to a report by CNC Intelligence, a digital forensics company.

Though the loss rate was far lower than other states, it still cracked the Top 20.

So exactly how much money did North Carolina residents lose? And how can you best protect yourself from getting scammed?

Here’s what to know.

How much did NC residents lose to data breach scams?

North Carolina residents lost a whopping $28,949,521 to personal data breach scams in 2024, according to CNC Intelligence.

For perspective, that’s about $262,081 in losses for every 100,000 residents — the nineteenth-highest rate in the nation, data show. More than 1,800 North Carolinians were impacted with an average loss of $15,464.

Between 2023 and 2024, the Tar Heel State saw a 286% hike in financial losses tied to these scams, per the analysis. Roughly 85% of the reported $28 million in losses were paid in cryptocurrency, the company said.

What’s a personal data breach?

Last year, a “record-breaking” 2,258 data breaches were reported to the NC Department of Justice, according to Attorney General Jeff Jackson.

The department defines a data breach as “the unauthorized access or acquisition of unencrypted or unredacted records or data containing personal information where illegal use of the personal information has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur or that creates a material risk of harm.”

An individual’s personal information can include:

• Social Security number
• Credit/debit card number
• Biometric data
• Digital signature
• Fingerprints

Credential stuffing, a tactic where hackers steal account login information from one site and use it across several others, is becoming more common, officials warned in a 2024 data breach report. North Carolina has also seen an uptick in W-2 breaches and ransomware attacks.

“As technology continues to advance, and as we rely on it for more and more functions of daily life, hackers will find new opportunities to steal data or scam people into giving away their personal or financial information,” the NCDOJ said.

Which states lost the most to scammers?

These states and districts reported the highest losses (per 100,000 residents) to data breach-related scams in 2024, according to the CNC Intelligence analysis:

• 1. Washington, DC: $766,459
• 2. Washington State: $696,649
• 3. Florida: $506,958
• 4. California: $494,454
• 5. New Mexico: $479,373
• 6. New York: $431,235
• 7. Colorado: $399,365
• 8. Georgia: $385,183
• 9. Arkansas: $375,552
• 10. Iowa: $362,611

How do I protect myself from being scammed?

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warns that scams can happen to anyone at any time.

“Criminals and con artists use many scams to target unsuspecting people — of all ages — who have access to money,” the bureau said on its website, adding that victims can be swindled in person, over the phone, online and by mail.

To avoid falling victim to fraudsters, the agency said you should:

• Avoid sharing numbers and passwords to personal accounts, credit cards or Social Security.
• Never pay fees or taxes upfront for a promised “prize” (think lottery wins).
• Take the time to compare prices and ask questions after hearing a sales pitch. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Beware of deals that are only “good today” and pressure you to act quickly.
• Avoid clicking on unfamiliar links or scanning QR codes.
• Beware when a person plays on your emotions or claims there’s an emergency.
• Put your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry.

How CNC Intelligence came up with the rankings

For the rankings, CNC Intelligence said it gathered data from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

The analysis included data from national and statewide IC3 reports from 2023 and 2024, according to the methodology. Lastly, the firm used U.S. Census population data for losses reported per 100,000 residents.

Sara Schilling contributed reporting. Inspired by a story from The Olympian in Washington.

Tanasia Kenney

Sun Herald

Tanasia is a service journalism reporter at the Charlotte Observer | CharlotteFive, working remotely from Atlanta, Georgia. She covers restaurant openings/closings in Charlotte and statewide explainers for the NC Service Journalism team. She’s been with McClatchy since 2020.