ITRC survey finds lasting shame and recovery burden after scams
Original title: Shame and sleepless nights haunt scam victims long after the money is gone
Among scam victims who sought ITRC help, 54.8% felt ashamed, and 64% of identity-theft victims spent over 40 hours on recovery.
The Identity Theft Resource Center's 2026 Consumer Impact Report says scam victims often report shame and self-blame, while identity-theft victims face long, often unresolved recovery. The August-September 2026 research surveyed 1,111 U.S. adults and 197 people who had contacted the ITRC in the prior year. Some general-consumer scam victims said they lost at least $100,000 they had not recovered, and many who sought organizational help got no response. The ITRC also found victims paying third parties in what it calls recovery scams.
Unconfirmed: Loss and emotional figures are self-reported by survey respondents, including people who already sought ITRC help.
- Of scam victims who contacted the ITRC, 54.8% reported shame or embarrassment.
- In the general consumer group, 87.9% of scam victims said an organization did not respond.
- 78.9% in that group paid a third party promising recovery, credit repair, or to catch the scammer.
- 64% of identity-theft victims who contacted the ITRC spent more than 40 hours resolving the crime.
- 91% of general-consumer respondents called themselves knowledgeable about protecting personal information.
Impact: Unrecovered scam losses and misuse of stolen personal information
- Organizations
- Identity Theft Resource Center
- Countries
- United States
From the original article
3 min read at helpnetsecurity.com
Scams and identity theft hurt people in different ways, and recovering involves much more than getting money back, according to ITRC’s 2026 Consumer Impact Report. Scam victims often struggle with shame and self-blame, while identity theft victims can spend weeks of personal effort trying to repair the damage. Source: ITRC Conducted in August and September 2026, the research surveyed 1,111 U.
By Anamarija Pogorelec · helpnetsecurity.com
A short excerpt; the article and its images belong to the publisher. Summary, key facts and assessment above are AI-written from the article and can be wrong.