Identity scams are at an all-time high. Here are ways to protect yourself
d3sign | Moment | Getty Images Identity crime involving government benefits, social media accounts and other scams jumped by 36% in 2021 to an all-time high, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center. The good news is that there are several ways individuals can protect themselves. About 15,000 people reported an identity-related crime or attempted fraud in 2021, up from roughly 11,000 in 2020, according to the ITRC, which published a recent analysis based on internal data. Incidents have increased by 49% since 2015. That annual growth mirrors trends in overall fraud tracked by the Federal Trade Commission. Consumers reported 5.9 million total scams to the federal agency in 2021, a 20% increase compared with 2020. Identity theft was the top culprit, accounting for more than 1.4 million complaints. More from Personal Finance: Why workers have the 'upper hand' in the job market 4 steps to take before applications open for student loan forgiveness Social Security could be ...