IDENTITY THEFT FINDINGS - ANGUS REID POLL

Canada — Estimated Victims in 2025

Canada does not yet publish a national estimate of identity theft victims in 2025, but survey data gives insight into broader victimization:

• A recent Angus Reid Institute poll found that 30% of Canadians report having personal information or money taken in fraud or identity theft over the past two years.
  
  • Canada’s population is ~39 million, so 30% implies about ~11–12 million Canadians could have experienced identity-related fraud or identity theft at least once in that two-year span.

• Official reporting rates are very low — only about 5–10% of fraud and identity theft cases are reported to authorities.
  
  • That means if surveys indicate ~11 million Canadians experienced identity-related fraud/identity theft experiences, the actual number of distinct victims could easily be in the millions, even though only a small fraction show up in police or agency totals.

Estimate for 2025: Based on survey results and under-reporting factors, it’s plausible that several million Canadians experienced identity theft or identity-related fraud in 2025 or the preceding two years, even though only a small share were formally reported.

Country Official Reports (2025)Estimated Actual Victims (Survey-based) United States~1.15–1.5 million reported to authorities ~70 million+ Americans ever victimized (survey estimate) Canada- Tens of thousands reported.

Millions of Canadians likely victimized (based on 30% of population survey)

• U.S.: While around 1–2 million identity theft incidents were formally reported in 2025, surveys suggest tens of millions of Americans have been victims of identity theft or misuse (often unreported).
• Canada: Surveys indicate about 30% of Canadians experienced identity theft or related fraud over a two-year period, implying several million Canadians likely were victimized — even though police/agency reports capture only a fraction of these cases.