Fraud, extortion, and threats lead crimes in Mexico according to INEGI 2024

The National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) presented the 2024 National Survey on Victimization and Perception of Public Security (ENVIPE), revealing that Mexico recorded 33.5 million crimes last year, a level comparable to 2017. Among the crimes that increased the most were fraud, extortion, and threats, while kidnapping reached its highest number of victims since 2019.

Adrián Franco, vice president of the INEGI Governing Board, explained that the nature of crimes has changed: while in 2018, almost half of all crimes were robberies and assaults, by 2024 that proportion had dropped to a third, with a notable increase in fraud and threats, which rose from 22 to 35 percent of the total. This reflects a shift from violent crimes to less violent ones with a high economic and social impact.

The fraud rate rose from 6,962 to 7,574 incidents per 100,000 inhabitants between 2023 and 2024, while extortion rose from 5,213 to 5,971, and threats from 3,346 to 4,683. Likewise, an estimated 94,679 kidnappings of a household member were reported, with 92,888 victims, a record figure since 2019 and part of a three-year upward trend.

In 2024, seven states recorded a decrease in crime and seven an increase; 18 maintained stable figures. The highest rates were in the State of Mexico, Mexico City, and Tlaxcala; the lowest in Chiapas, Tamaulipas, and Michoacán. By gender, the rate of female victims remained stable, while the rate of male victims increased, with 23,399 female and 25,010 male victims per 100,000 inhabitants.

Only 9.6 percent of crimes were reported in 2024, down from 10.4 percent in 2023, reflecting distrust and a perception of wasted time in the justice system. Of these complaints, the Public Prosecutor's Office opened investigation files in 70.5 percent, leaving 93.2 percent of crimes uninvestigated.

Of the total 38.8 million households, 11.4 million had at least one member victim of crime, representing 29 percent of the crime rate. The total cost was estimated at 269.6 billion pesos, 1.07 percent of GDP. Losses due to victimization accounted for 62 percent, and preventive measures, 34 percent. Among the most common actions are changing locks and windows.

Traffic police and judges were perceived as the most corrupt authorities, with 75.1 and 69 percent respectively. Trust increased for the Navy and Army, while it decreased significantly for seven other authorities. The perception of insecurity rose to 75.6 percent nationwide, with high rates in municipalities and ATMs.

INEGI emphasizes that despite the decline in violent crime, insecurity continues to affect the daily lives of Mexicans, while the low reporting rate and perceived corruption limit the effectiveness of the justice system, increasing the need for preventive strategies and public policies focused on citizen security.