America’s Least Honest States, According to New Research: Virginia, Mississippi, Rhode Island, California, Colorado #1-5

March 26, 2025

America’s Least Honest States, According to New Research: Virginia, Mississippi, Rhode Island, California, Colorado #1-5

America’s least honest state is Virginia, with the highest number of fraud reports.
Rhode Island shows the most number of Google searches for dishonesty-related terms.
Academic dishonesty searches reveal educational integrity concerns nationwide, with California recording over 5K monthly searches for exam cheating techniques – more than double the volume of any other state in the top 10.

A recent study by Spartacus Law Firm analyzed and ranked U.S. states based on indicators of dishonesty among their residents, examining search behavior related to cheating and lying alongside reported fraud and identity theft incidents. Data was collected across multiple key metrics, including search volumes for dishonesty-related terms such as “how to cheat on an exam” and “how to lie,” as well as fraud and identity theft reports per 100,000 residents. The final ranking was determined using a weighted composite score based on search interest in dishonest activities, fraud reports, and identity theft cases, with each state receiving a scaled score from 1 to 99. Higher scores indicate a greater prevalence of dishonesty indicators.

State Name	Monthly Searches for “How to cheat on exam”, etc.	Monthly Searches for “How to Lie”, etc.	Monthly Searches for “Cheating partner”, etc.	Monthly Searches for “How to cheat”, “How to lie”, etc.	Monthly Searches for “How to cheat”, “How to lie” and related keywords per 100K	Fraud Reports per 100K	Identity Theft Reports per 100K	Composite Score
Virginia	1840	4940	10780	17,560	201	998	161	99.10
Mississippi	830	1550	5370	7,750	264	903	190	98.90
Rhode Island	300	930	3060	4,290	391	777	205	98.20
California	5040	16650	29270	50,960	131	937	264	97.00
Colorado	2400	3770	9410	15,580	263	911	159	95.00
Massachusetts	1000	3270	8600	12,870	183	844	285	94.80
Tennessee	1130	3870	9910	14,910	207	944	163	94.20
Connecticut	750	1780	5930	8,460	233	880	179	92.00
Alaska	200	900	2310	3,410	465	714	75	85.60
Michigan	1870	5160	11250	18,280	182	856	176	85.50

*See the full study here.

Virginia leads the ranking with a score of 99, making it the least honest U.S. state. The state records the highest fraud reports per capita (998 per 100K) among the top 10, while maintaining substantial search volumes for deceptive content with 17,560 monthly searches for dishonesty-related terms.

Mississippi ranks 2nd with a score of 98. Having less than half of Virginia’s absolute search volumes, Mississippi shows higher per capita dishonesty searches (264 compared to Virginia’s 201) and only slightly lower fraud reports at 903. The state’s rural population demonstrates disproportionate interest in dishonest behavior relative to its population size.

Rhode Island ranks as the third least honest state and achieves a score of 98.20. The smallest state shows the highest per capita searches for dishonesty-related content, with 391 searches —the highest rate among all states in the top 10. While Rhode Island records lower fraud reports than both Virginia and Mississippi, its identity theft reports at 205 exceed both higher-ranking states, indicating widespread interest in deceptive practices despite its small geographic footprint.

California comes in 4th with a score of 97. The most populous state generates the highest absolute search volume for dishonesty terms (50.9K monthly searches)—nearly three times Virginia’s volume and over six times Mississippi’s total. However, California has a relatively lower per capita rate (131). California stands out with the second-highest identity theft reports (264) among the top states, 64% higher than Virginia.

Colorado is 5th with a score of 95. The state shows a high rate of dishonesty searches per capita (263), nearly identical to Mississippi’s rate. Colorado’s fraud reports at 911 are the third highest in the top 10, slightly exceeding Mississippi but still below Virginia’s rate. Colorado’s interest in relationship dishonesty is evident with 9,410 monthly searches related to “cheating partner” terms.

Massachusetts is 6th in dishonesty ranking with a score of 94.8. The state records the highest identity theft reports per capita (285) among all top 10 states, despite moderate dishonesty search volumes. Massachusetts represents a case where actual dishonest behavior may exceed online interest in dishonest tactics.

Tennessee comes in 7th with a score of 94.2. The state shows strong fraud report numbers (944)—the second highest among the top states and only 5% less than Virginia’s leading rate. Tennessee residents demonstrate significant interest in relationship deception with nearly 10K monthly searches for cheating-related terms.

Connecticut is 8th least honest state with a score of 92. The state maintains a balanced profile across metrics, with above-average per capita dishonesty searches (233) and fraud reports (880) that exceed Massachusetts by 4% but fall 12% short of Virginia’s leading figure

Alaska ranks 9th with a score of 85.6. Despite having the lowest absolute search volumes, Alaska shows the highest per capita dishonesty searches at 465. However, Alaska records the lowest identity theft reports (75) among the top states, creating an interesting contrast in its dishonesty profile.

Michigan rounds out the list of the top ten least honest states with a score of 85.5. The state shows substantial absolute search volumes (18,280 monthly dishonesty searches) but slightly lower per-capita rates. Michigan maintains balanced dishonesty metrics across all categories, positioning it at the threshold of the top dishonesty rankings.

Chandon Alexander, the founding member and principal of Spartacus Law Firm, commented on the study: “The connection between online search behavior and reported cases of fraud and identity theft suggests that digital curiosity about dishonesty often reflects real-world actions. One of the most revealing trends is the high volume of searches related to relationship deception, which consistently surpasses interest in academic cheating across all states. This suggests that concerns about trust in personal relationships are widespread, regardless of location. Meanwhile, in some regions, economic struggles may be a key factor driving increased interest in deceptive practices.”

story credit: https://spartacuslawfirm.com/

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