In most of the United States today, an automobile is a necessity and not a luxury. Getting a driver’s license is a rite of passage and so is getting an automobile. However, that has become more expensive in the last two years due to supply disruptions caused by COVID-19 and rising inflation as gas prices are going through the roof. (These are the states with the highest gas taxes.)
The last thing anybody wants is to be the victim of an auto-related scam. And the likelihood someone would be a victim of a scam depends partly on the state they live in.
To identify the states with the most and least auto-related scams, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on the number of auto-related scams reported to the Federal Trade Commission in the first three quarters of 2021 as compiled and analyzed by BuyAutoInsurance.com. States (48 states) and the District of Columbia are ranked on the number of auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents.
Unfortunately, scams, including auto-related scams, are not uncommon. They include auto parts and repairs scams, auto renting and leasing scams, and auto financing scams. There are also scams related to auto services and warranties. The incidence of scams varies enormously from state to state.
The two states with the fewest scam reports per capita are South Dakota, with 14 reports per 100,000 residents, and North Dakota, with 15.9 per 100,000. While there are no obvious patterns in our list, the Dakotas must be doing something right to occupy the No. 1 and No. 2 spots. (Find out if the Dakotas also rank the lowest in states with the most identity theft.)
At the other end of the scale are Nevada, with 49.4 reports per 100,000, and the District of Columbia, with 47 per 100,000. Nevada is synonymous with gambling – think Las Vegas and Reno – but buying, leasing, or operating an automobile should not be a roll of the dice against a scammer.
Click here to see the states with the fewest auto-related scams
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49. Nevada
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 49.4
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 1,523 — 22nd most
> Population: 3,080,156 — 20th smallest
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48. District of Columbia
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 47.0
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 324 — 10th fewest
> Population: 705,749 — 4th smallest
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47. Florida
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 44.7
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 9,602 — 2nd most
> Population: 21,477,737 — 3rd largest
Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
46. Georgia
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 43.9
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 4,657 — 5th most
> Population: 10,617,423 — 8th largest
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45. Delaware
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 40.4
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 393 — 12th fewest
> Population: 973,764 — 7th smallest
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44. Maryland
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 39.7
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 2,402 — 13th most
> Population: 6,045,680 — 19th largest
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43. South Carolina
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 39.3
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 2,021 — 17th most
> Population: 5,148,714 — 23rd largest
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
42. Missouri
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 36.7
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 2,252 — 14th most
> Population: 6,137,428 — 18th largest
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
41. Connecticut
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 36.5
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 1,303 — 25th most
> Population: 3,565,287 — 23rd smallest
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40. Ohio
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 36.3
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 4,246 — 6th most
> Population: 11,689,100 — 7th largest
Source: Davel5957 / iStock via Getty Images
39. Arizona
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 36.2
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 2,636 — 12th most
> Population: 7,278,717 — 14th largest
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38. Virginia
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 34.5
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 2,942 — 11th most
> Population: 8,535,519 — 12th largest
Source: DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images
37. New Hampshire
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 34.3
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 467 — 15th fewest
> Population: 1,359,711 — 11th smallest
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36. New Jersey
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 33.8
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 3,005 — 10th most
> Population: 8,882,190 — 11th largest
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35. Colorado
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 33.7
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 1,940 — 19th most
> Population: 5,758,736 — 21st largest
Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
34. Tennessee
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 32.8
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 2,237 — 15th most
> Population: 6,829,174 — 16th largest
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Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
33. North Carolina
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 32.5
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 3,408 — 9th most
> Population: 10,488,084 — 9th largest
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
32. Texas
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 31.3
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 9,080 — 3rd most
> Population: 28,995,881 — 2nd largest
Source: TomasSereda / iStock via Getty Images
31. New York
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 30.2
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 5,879 — 4th most
> Population: 19,453,561 — 4th largest
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Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
30. Massachusetts
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 29.2
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 2,013 — 18th most
> Population: 6,892,503 — 15th largest
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29. Rhode Island
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 29.0
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 307 — 9th fewest
> Population: 1,059,361 — 8th smallest
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28. Pennsylvania
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 28.7
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 3,670 — 7th most
> Population: 12,801,989 — 5th largest
Source: JaySi / iStock via Getty Images
27. Illinois
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 28.2
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 3,574 — 8th most
> Population: 12,671,821 — 6th largest
Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
26. Alabama
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 27.8
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 1,365 — 24th most
> Population: 4,903,185 — 24th largest
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25. Mississippi
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 26.4
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 787 — 21st fewest
> Population: 2,976,149 — 18th smallest
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
24. New Mexico
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 26.2
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 549 — 16th fewest
> Population: 2,096,829 — 16th smallest
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23. California
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 26.1
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 10,297 — the most
> Population: 39,512,223 — the largest
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22. Louisiana
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 25.7
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 1,195 — 25th fewest
> Population: 4,648,794 — 25th largest
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
21. Arkansas
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 25.4
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 766 — 20th fewest
> Population: 3,017,804 — 19th smallest
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20. Kentucky
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 25.1
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 1,123 — 24th fewest
> Population: 4,467,673 — 25th smallest
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19. Washington
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 24.6
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 1,873 — 20th most
> Population: 7,614,893 — 13th largest
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Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
18. Oklahoma
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 24.5
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 971 — 22nd fewest
> Population: 3,956,971 — 24th smallest
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Source: JamesBrey / E+ via Getty Images
17. Wisconsin
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 24.3
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 1,417 — 23rd most
> Population: 5,822,434 — 20th largest
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
16. Vermont
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 24.0
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 150 — 5th fewest
> Population: 623,989 — 3rd smallest
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15. West Virginia
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 23.6
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 423 — 14th fewest
> Population: 1,792,147 — 14th smallest
Source: Davel5957 / E+ via Getty Images
14. Indiana
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 23.6
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 1,588 — 21st most
> Population: 6,732,219 — 17th largest
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images
13. Wyoming
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 23.0
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 133 — 4th fewest
> Population: 578,759 — 2nd smallest
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12. Idaho
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 22.8
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 407 — 13th fewest
> Population: 1,787,065 — 13th smallest
Source: TriggerPhoto / iStock via Getty Images
11. Kansas
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 22.6
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 658 — 18th fewest
> Population: 2,913,314 — 17th smallest
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images
10. Utah
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 22.6
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 723 — 19th fewest
> Population: 3,205,958 — 22nd smallest
Source: pawel.gaul / E+ via Getty Images
9. Michigan
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 21.1
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 2,112 — 16th most
> Population: 9,986,857 — 10th largest
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8. Hawaii
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 20.8
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 295 — 8th fewest
> Population: 1,415,872 — 12th smallest
Source: Jon Bilous / iStock via Getty Images
7. Montana
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 20.4
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 218 — 6th fewest
> Population: 1,068,778 — 9th smallest
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
6. Maine
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 19.4
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 261 — 7th fewest
> Population: 1,344,212 — 10th smallest
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5. Nebraska
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 19.0
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 369 — 11th fewest
> Population: 1,934,408 — 15th smallest
Source: Davel5957 / E+ via Getty Images
4. Minnesota
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 18.8
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 1,058 — 23rd fewest
> Population: 5,639,632 — 22nd largest
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3. Iowa
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 17.5
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 551 — 17th fewest
> Population: 3,155,070 — 21st smallest
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2. North Dakota
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 15.9
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 121 — 2nd fewest
> Population: 762,062 — 5th smallest
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1. South Dakota
> Auto-related scam reports per 100,000 residents: 14.0
> Number of auto-related scam reports: 124 — 3rd fewest
> Population: 884,659 — 6th smallest
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