Americans lost a record $15.9 billion to scams in 2025, FTC says

Americans reported losing a record $15.9 billion to fraud and scams in 2025, according to new Federal Trade Commission data and congressional testimony.

Key numbers

• Reported fraud losses in 2025: $15.9 billion, up from about $12–12.5 billion in 2024.

• Fraud reports filed with FTC in 2025: roughly 3 million, up from 2.6 million in 2024.

• Reported losses have risen nearly 430% since 2020, underscoring a sharp multi‑year escalation.

• FTC notes actual losses are likely much higher because many victims never report scams.

Top scam types and methods

• Investment scams: roughly $7.9 billion in losses, about half of all reported dollars, with average individual loss over $10,000.

• Imposter scams: most common by volume (around 1 million reports), over $3.5 billion in reported losses, often posing as government, businesses, or loved ones.

• Common payment channels: wire and bank transfers, gift cards, payment apps, and cryptocurrency are frequently used to move stolen funds.

• Common contact channels: text messages, phone calls, and social media outreach are key vectors for these schemes.

Leading scam categories (2025, selected)

Why it matters for policy and compliance

For regulators and financial institutions, these numbers highlight:

• The outsized role of investment and social‑media‑originated fraud, suggesting a need for tighter supervision of online marketing, influencers, and high‑risk products.

• Continued consumer confusion around official communications, as imposter scams remain dominant, which has implications for authentication, out‑of‑band verification, and government‑brand misuse.

• The underreporting gap, indicating that loss data in supervisory exams or SAR narratives may significantly understate true exposure.