INDIANAPOLIS — Vanessa Walker felt physically ill after becoming a victim of a sophisticated banking scam.
“I haven’t been able to eat,” said Walker. “I have so much anxiety. My heart is totally racing all the time.”
The Irvington massage therapist lost $18,750 to the phone scam.
“I just feel sick,” said Walker.
Yvonne St. Clair of Pendleton said the same thing after falling victim to a banking scam.
“I was just sick,” said St. Clair. “I was angry.”
They are not alone.
A new report released Tuesday from the Identity Theft Resource Center reveals that significantly more people are suffering severe emotional distress as a result of identity crimes.
Among victims who contacted ITRC directly:
- 83% reported feeling worried or anxious
- 79% felt violated
- 75% felt vulnerable
- 73% felt angry
An ITRC survey asked identity crime victims if their experience had caused them to consider self-harm, and 68% answered yes.
The ITRC calls the number “staggering and heartbreaking.”
Experts say many victims may try to navigate their crisis alone or may feel the issue is not serious enough to warrant seeking out help.
“This isolation can amplify feelings of helplessness and being overwhelmed, making them more susceptible to the psychological weight of the identity misuse,” read the report.
The 2025 Consumer Impact Report also highlights that victims often face staggering financial losses.
More than 20% reported losses exceeding $100,000, and over 10% lost at least $1 million, according to the report.
“We have uncovered alarming trends in relation to the human costs of identity crimes,” said Eva Velasquez, CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center. “The findings in the 2025 Consumer Impact Report are not just data points. It is a signal that support is crucial for victims. It is a call for action for policymakers, financial institutions, technology companies and consumers. The people being harmed are real. Their pain is real. For them, we should respond with humanity and urgency and confront the crisis head-on.”
According to the report, social media takeover is the top threat to the general public.
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Social media takeover has become the most commonly reported form of identity misuse—35% of general consumer victims in 2025, up from 29% in 2024.
Velasquez says social media platforms need to do more to help people recover their accounts.
“You’re not their customer, you’re their product,” said Velasquez. “You’re a user of this platform. The paid advertisers are their customers."
If you’re a victim of a scam or identity theft, you can file a report with:
- Federal Trade Commission
- Indiana Attorney General
- Better Business Bureau
- Local police department or FBI
The Better Business Bureau offers the following tips:
- Understand your bank's policies. Know that your bank will never ask you to send money to yourself. If someone tries to convince you otherwise, it's a scam.
- Watch out for fake caller IDs. Scammers can spoof caller ID names and numbers to make you think you are receiving a call from a reputable source. If you weren't expecting to be contacted by your bank, it's best to avoid answering. Instead, call the number on the back of your ATM card to confirm that there is an issue.
- Never share one-time passcodes. Scammers can use one-time passcodes from your bank or any other company to access your accounts and change information. Don't share them with anyone, no exceptions.
- Contact your bank if you suspect a scam. If you receive an unsolicited call, text, or email that you suspect is a scam, contact your bank immediately and let them know.
- Don't reply to suspicious texts. Ignore any instructions to reply yes or no if you receive an unsolicited, suspicious text message. If you reply to a scammer, they could save your number as "active" and target you with future scams.
