The 10 States Where Criminals Are Most Likely to Get Away with Fraud
- Florida ranks first among all states where criminals are most likely to get away with fraud, driven by the highest report volume and exposure risk.
- A clearance rate below 11% and over 369,000 fraud reports make California a hotspot for unresolved financial crime.
- While fraud report volumes are high nationwide, states like Georgia and Nevada show striking risk levels relative to their population sizes.
This analysis by Spartacus Law Firm ranks U.S. states where fraud is most pervasive and least likely to be resolved. The study evaluates each state using three weighted indicators: fraud reports per 100,000 people (40%), total number of fraud reports (30%), and the inverse of the related crime clearance rate (30%). All metrics were normalized using Min-Max Scaling. The clearance rate – used as a proxy for enforcement success – was inverted to emphasize risk. Higher composite scores indicate a greater likelihood of fraudsters avoiding consequences.
| States | # of Fraud Reports | Fraud Reports per 100K | Related Crime clearance rate | Composite Score |
| Florida | 358,974 | 1,682 | 13.80% | 88.4 |
| California | 369,703 | 937 | 10.90% | 75.3 |
| Texas | 344,117 | 1,192 | 13.80% | 70.9 |
| Georgia | 171,458 | 1,614 | 13.80% | 70.8 |
| Nevada | 43,176 | 1,411 | 10.90% | 64.3 |
| Arizona | 77,640 | 1,097 | 10.90% | 56.7 |
| Maryland | 80,854 | 1,315 | 13.80% | 53.4 |
| Delaware | 13,993 | 1,425 | 13.80% | 51.6 |
| Colorado | 52,156 | 911 | 10.90% | 48.4 |
| South Carolina | 59,199 | 1,166 | 13.80% | 46.7 |
*Check out the full study, along with all the metrics analyzed here.
Florida ranks first with a composite score of 88, leading the nation in fraud risk. The state logged 358,974 total fraud reports, with a per-capita rate of 1,682 reports per 100,000 people—the highest in the country. Though its clearance rate (13.8%) is slightly better than other states in the top 5, Florida’s massive volume of fraud cases overwhelms its enforcement capacity.
California ranks second among states where criminals are most likely to get away with fraud, with a composite score of 75. The state reported 369,703 fraud incidents, the highest raw number nationwide. Despite its size, the state’s clearance rate is just 10.9%, and its adjusted fraud rate of 937 reports exposes a systemic enforcement gap.
Texas takes third place with a composite score of 70. With 344,117 total fraud reports and a per-capita rate of 1,192, the state reflects both scale and saturation. Its clearance rate (13.8%) suggests moderate enforcement effectiveness, but not enough to offset the scale of fraud.
Georgia ranks fourth, driven by a notably high adjusted fraud rate of 1,614 reports, nearly twice the national median. Despite a similar clearance rate of 13.8%, its smaller population gives the state a disproportionately high risk exposure, contributing to a composite score of 70.
Nevada ranks fifth on the list of states where fraud is most likely to go unresolved, earning a composite score of 64. Its low clearance rate of just 10.9% and high per-capita fraud rate of 1,411 reports per 100,000 people contribute to its elevated risk. Although its total fraud case count is relatively low at 43,176, the population-adjusted impact remains significant.
Arizona ranks sixth with a composite score of 56. It reported 77,640 fraud incidents and a per-capita rate of 1,097. Like California and Nevada, its clearance rate also sits at 10.9%, indicating a consistent pattern across Western states.
Maryland comes in seventh on the list of states where fraud will most likely go unresolved, with 80,854 fraud reports and a per-capita rate of 1,315. Its clearance rate of 13.8% gives it a slightly stronger enforcement record than some others on this list, but its high population-adjusted fraud activity drives a score of 53.
Delaware ranks eighth with a per-capita fraud rate of 1,425 – among the highest nationally. Its smaller size and total report count of 13,993 slightly offset its risk score, landing it at 51 overall.
Colorado ranks ninth, reporting 52,156 fraud cases. Despite a relatively moderate adjusted per-capita rate of 911 and 10.9% clearance rate, its enforcement challenges push it into the top 10 with a composite score of 48.
South Carolina closes out the top 10 with 59,199 fraud cases and 1,166 reports per 100,000 people. Though its 13.8% clearance rate is average for this group, the high report volume relative to its population places it at 46 on the composite scale.
Chandon Alexander, Founding Member and CEO of Spartacus Law Firm, commented on the study: “Fraud is no longer just a financial threat – it’s an enforcement crisis. States with low clearance rates are unintentionally signaling to bad actors that fraud can be committed with minimal risk of consequences. What’s especially concerning is the correlation between high case volumes and low resolution rates, creating systemic vulnerabilities. Without investment in investigative capacity, these trends are likely to intensify.”
story credit: https://spartacuslawfirm.com/
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
