Identity thieves look to young athletes for a payday

Identity thieves have in recent years narrowed in on a particularly lucrative target: athletes on the verge of going pro

Identity thieves have in recent years narrowed in on a particularly lucrative target: athletes on the verge of going pro.

A report from the fraud detection company SentiLink found that NBA and NFL draft picks from a recent five-year period were far likelier than the average American to be victims of attempted financial fraud such as fake loans and credit cards taken out in their names.

The figures have risen dramatically from 2020 through 2025. Of the NBA draft picks from that period, 20% saw suspicious credit activity such as credit card applications, and attempted auto and consumer lending loan applications. For NFL picks in the period, the figure was 15.2%. The national average is usually between 2-3%, the report found.

The data only flags suspicious attempts to take out loans and does not track confirmed instances of identity theft.

“Most draft prospects are young adults, typically 18–23 years old. This demographic often has limited credit histories, fewer active financial accounts, and inconsistent digital footprints,” the report found.