Americans Lose Over $20 Billion to Online Scams in 2025

A recent FBI report indicates that American citizens lost more than $20 billion to online scams in 2025. This represents a significant 26% increase compared to 2024, highlighting the growing threat of cybercrime.

Rise in Financial Fraud

The report details various types of online fraud, identifying investment scams as the primary cause of these substantial financial losses. This alarming trend emphasizes the need for increased awareness and stronger cybersecurity practices to protect individuals.

Cryptocurrency Scams Lead Losses

$11.4 billion of the total losses were attributed to cryptocurrency scams. The average individual loss in these cases was approximately $62,000, demonstrating the severe financial impact on victims.

Expert Insights on Scammer Tactics

Rajiv Garg, an operations systems expert at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, explained that scammers are employing increasingly sophisticated tactics. These include impersonating individuals to manipulate victims into investing in fraudulent assets or transferring funds to illegal accounts.

Increasing Losses Over Time

FBI data shows a consistent rise in annual stolen funds, increasing from $10.3 billion in 2023 to $16.6 billion in 2024, and reaching over $20 billion in 2025. The report also identifies individuals over the age of 60 as particularly vulnerable, with this demographic accounting for 20% of complaints and $7.7 billion in losses.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence

The FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report includes a dedicated section on artificial intelligence (AI), acknowledging its growing role in cybercrime. Over 22,000 complaints referenced AI, resulting in reported losses of $893 million.

AI-Powered Deception

Cybercriminals are leveraging AI to enhance their deceptive methods and create more convincing scams. This includes using fake social media profiles, voice cloning, and AI-generated content to deceive potential victims. FBI offices, including those in Baltimore and Charlotte, shared these findings on social media.

Reporting Scams and Seeking Help

The FBI urges anyone who believes they have been targeted by an online scam to report it to their local crime center or submit a complaint to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov.