Id thieves have in recent times narrowed in on a very profitable goal: athletes on the verge of going professional.
A report from the fraud detection firm SentiLink discovered that NBA and NFL draft picks from a latest five-year interval have been far likelier than the common American to be victims of tried monetary fraud akin to faux loans and bank cards taken out of their names.
The figures have risen dramatically from 2020 by 2025. Of the NBA draft picks from that interval, 20% noticed suspicious credit score exercise akin to bank card purposes, and tried auto and client lending mortgage purposes. For NFL picks within the interval, the determine was 15.2%. The nationwide common is often between 2-3%, the report discovered.
The info solely flags suspicious makes an attempt to take out loans and doesn’t monitor confirmed cases of identification theft.
“Most draft prospects are younger adults, sometimes 18–23 years outdated. This demographic usually has restricted credit score histories, fewer energetic monetary accounts, and inconsistent digital footprints,” the report discovered.
“These traits make them ideally suited targets as a result of fraudulent purposes are much less more likely to set off alerts related to established credit score conduct, and there may be usually much less public info accessible to contradict a fraudulent software,” it mentioned.
The rise in identification fraud efforts round younger athletes coincides with a nationwide development. Whereas there are not any complete figures on what number of People change into victims every year, complaints to the Federal Commerce Fee have risen almost yearly because it began monitoring them in 2001, culminating in a document 6.5 million final 12 months..
James Lee, the president of the Id Theft Useful resource Middle, a nonprofit that helps People take care of identification theft, mentioned younger athletes make sense as targets.
“Skilled athletes who’re early of their careers make for straightforward targets as a result of they’re extremely seen, are all of the sudden rich, however might not have the identical degree of private safety and life expertise to keep away from being taken benefit of by skilled criminals,” mentioned Lee, who was not concerned within the examine.
Making an attempt to open a bank card or take out a financial institution mortgage in one other individual’s identify usually require little greater than some fundamental details about that individual, akin to their identify, present handle, birthday and household. It often additionally requires a Social Safety Quantity, however these are hacked and traded by cybercriminals so often that they’re comparatively simple to accumulate.
Athletes competing to go professional are closely scrutinized and usually see little expectation of privateness. Their names, ages and fundamental biographical and household info are extensively plastered throughout sports activities web sites, and so they usually publicly promote on social media. And the truth that they’re more likely to often transfer amongst their house, school, coaching camps and the town the place they’re drafted means they might be much less more likely to see mailed credit score alerts.
The makes an attempt additionally echo a spate of house burglaries which have plagued each leagues in recent times, notably concentrating on them whereas they’re enjoying in high-profile away video games. Victims embrace NFL stars akin to Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Shedeur Sanders and NBA stars akin to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic. The FBI helps examine the break-ins for potential ties to worldwide crime rings, NBC Information reported final week. The company didn’t reply when requested if it was additionally monitoring identification thieves who goal athletes.
SentiLink works with banks and different monetary companies to flag suspicious transactions and has a large database of credit score exercise. Researchers on the firm appeared on the 1,292 NFL gamers drafted from 2020 to 2024, in addition to the 288 NBA gamers drafted in that very same interval, and in contrast them to nationwide averages.
David Maimon, SentiLink’s head of fraud perception and the lead researcher on the examine advised NBC Information that the information doesn’t point out a widespread organized prison conspiracy and appears extra like a phenomenon of extra newbie criminals attempting to reap the benefits of newly well-known younger males. He declined to share the names of which gamers have been notably focused, citing confidentiality agreements.
Most identification theft makes an attempt should not made public. However they are often newbie and brazen, whereas others can use fashionable expertise and manipulation methods.
Some mortgage purposes ask for an individual to document a reside video and transfer their head to show their identification. However that may be simply fooled, Maimon mentioned. Athletes’ photos are simple to search out on-line and there are many AI instruments that may convincingly deepfake their heads turning, he famous.
Jason Rivarde, the commander of public affairs on the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Workplace in Louisiana, mentioned his workplace had arrested two individuals earlier this 12 months for allegedly trying to take out loans by posing as Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans quarterback and 2025 first total draft choose, in addition to his father.
The pair have been caught when an worker at a Jefferson County monetary establishment who had served them earlier than acknowledged them attempting to take out a mortgage in a 3rd identify, Rivarde mentioned.
The Wards and the Titans didn’t reply to requests for remark.
The NBA and the NFL gamers unions each present rookies with fundamental monetary literacy coaching and suggest vetted monetary advisers, spokespeople for the unions advised NBC Information.
However it’s notably exhausting for newly well-known individuals to completely defend themselves from dogged identification thieves, particularly in the event that they haven’t but employed advisers to deal with their funds and intently watch their credit score stories. Consultants like Maimon say among the finest defenses is for everybody to maintain their credit score frozen, however that’s a tall order for an athlete who indicators a significant contract and is inclined to purchase gadgets that require a credit score verify, akin to automobiles and property.
