Internet fraud is now the leading category of financial crime by total losses in the United States, surpassing traditional property crime by a significant margin. The shift to AI-enabled fraud has dramatically increased scam sophistication: victims now face personalized impersonation, synthetic media, and conversational AI that sustains deception over days or weeks. The statistics on this page are drawn from primary government sources, peer-reviewed research, and published industry reports. Each figure is cited. This page is intended as a neutral reference for policy researchers, journalists, legal professionals, and fraud prevention educators.
$12.5 Billion
Consumer fraud losses reported to the FTC in 2024 — the highest annual total in the agency's reporting history.
— FTC Consumer Sentinel Network, 2024
Total Online Fraud Losses
$16.6B
Cybercrime losses reported to FBI IC3 in 2024
— FBI IC3, 2024
$12.5B
Consumer fraud losses reported to the FTC in 2024
— FTC, 2024
$10.3B
Fraud losses reported to the FTC in 2022 — the first time losses exceeded $10 billion
— FTC Consumer Sentinel Network, 2022
$5.8B
Fraud losses reported to the FTC in 2021, representing a near doubling in 3 years
— FTC Consumer Sentinel Network, 2021
Reported fraud losses have more than doubled in five years — from $5.8 billion in 2021 to $12.5 billion in 2024. AI-assisted scams are a primary driver of this acceleration, enabling scammers to reach more victims at higher plausibility.
— FTC Consumer Sentinel Network annual reports, 2021–2024
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) estimates the actual loss figure is 10–15 times higher than reported totals, given that only an estimated 7–8% of victims file formal complaints.
— FBI IC3 Internet Crime Report, 2023
Javelin Strategy & Research estimates total identity fraud losses — including scam-facilitated account takeover — reached $23 billion in the U.S. in 2023.
— Javelin Strategy & Research, "2024 Identity Fraud Study," 2024
Most Common Scam Types by Volume and Loss
Imposter scams were the top-reported fraud category to the FTC in 2023, with 853,935 reports and losses of $2.7 billion. Government and business impersonators account for the largest share of imposter fraud.
— FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, 2023
Investment fraud caused the greatest financial harm of any category — $6.57 billion reported to FBI IC3 in 2024. Crypto-based investment scams account for 87% of investment fraud dollar losses.
— FBI IC3 Internet Crime Report, 2024
Online shopping fraud generated over 392,000 FTC reports in 2023, making it the second most-reported fraud type. Median loss: $100. AI-generated fake product listings and review manipulation are increasingly common.
— FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, 2023
Romance scams caused losses of $1.14 billion in 2023 — with the median per-victim loss of $10,000, the highest of any contact method-driven scam. AI chatbots now sustain many romance scam relationships.
— FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, 2023
Tech support scams generated $924 million in reported losses in 2023, with victims aged 60+ accounting for 58% of all tech support fraud reports.
— FBI IC3 Internet Crime Report, 2023
Lottery, sweepstakes, and prize scams were reported by 148,000 consumers to the FTC in 2023, with losses totaling $293 million. AI-generated fake notifications and personalization have increased these scams' apparent legitimacy.
— FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, 2023
Payment Methods Used in Online Scams
$1.4B
Reported to FTC as lost via cryptocurrency in 2023
— FTC, 2023
$800
Median individual loss in crypto fraud incidents reported to FTC in 2023
— FTC, 2023
Bank wire transfers resulted in the highest average individual loss of any payment method — averaging $14,000 per incident for online scams involving wire transfer, according to FTC data.
— FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, 2023
Gift cards are most frequently demanded by government impersonation scammers. The FTC recorded $228 million in gift card fraud losses in 2023, with Google Play, Apple, and Amazon gift cards most commonly requested.
— FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, 2023
Peer-to-peer payment apps (Venmo, Zelle, Cash App) accounted for $210 million in FTC-reported fraud losses in 2023. The absence of purchase protection on most P2P platforms makes recovery nearly impossible once funds are sent.
— FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, 2023
Social media was identified as the contact origin for $2.7 billion of fraud reported to the FTC in 2023 — more than any other contact channel, including phone and email.
— FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, 2023
Email-initiated fraud caused $558 million in reported losses in 2023. However, email fraud has the lowest median loss per incident ($500), suggesting most large-dollar scams now begin through other channels.
— FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, 2023
Phone-based scams (calls and texts combined) caused $1.58 billion in FTC-reported losses in 2023. Text message scams (smishing) showed the fastest year-over-year growth, rising 50% from 2022.
— FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, 2023
The GASA 2024 Global State of Scams report found that 45% of scam victims were initially contacted through social media platforms, up from 28% in 2021. Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp account for the majority of social-media-initiated fraud globally.
— Global Anti-Scam Alliance, Global State of Scams Report, 2024
Fake websites — often created using AI-generated content and SEO manipulation — were cited as the fraud origination method in 23% of online shopping fraud reports to the FTC in 2023.
— FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, 2023
Demographics of Online Fraud Victims
Adults aged 30–49 file the most fraud reports per capita to the FTC. Adults 70 and older report the highest per-incident dollar losses — a median of $1,450 vs. $300 for adults aged 20–29.
— FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, 2023
Military consumers report fraud at slightly higher rates than the general population. Investment fraud and tech support scams are the most reported fraud types among active-duty and veteran households.
— FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, 2023
The Pew Research Center found that 16% of U.S. adults have been victimized by an online scam — and 34% know someone who has been scammed. Awareness does not appear to substantially reduce victimization rates.
— Pew Research Center, "Online Safety and Digital Knowledge Survey," 2023
Reporting Rates & Underreporting
The FTC estimates that only 7–8% of fraud victims ever file a formal report with a government agency. Shame, disbelief, and lack of awareness of reporting channels are the most commonly cited barriers.
— FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection, Consumer Reporting Gap Research, 2023
GASA's global research found that 86% of scam victims do not report to law enforcement — with the most common reason being the belief that "nothing will be done."
— Global Anti-Scam Alliance, Global State of Scams Report, 2024
International Comparisons
The UK's Action Fraud recorded £1.2 billion in reported online fraud losses in fiscal year 2022–2023 — equaling approximately $1.5 billion USD per year for a country with roughly 1/5 the U.S. population.
— UK National Fraud Intelligence Bureau / Action Fraud Annual Report, 2023
Australia's ACCC Scamwatch recorded AUD $2.74 billion in total scam losses in 2023, with investment scams accounting for AUD $1.3 billion. Australia has one of the highest per-capita scam loss rates in the developed world.
— Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, Scamwatch Annual Report, 2023
The Global Anti-Scam Alliance estimates that across 43 surveyed countries, 78% of consumers encountered at least one scam in 2023, and approximately 25% of those encountered lost money.
— Global Anti-Scam Alliance, Global State of Scams Report, 2024
Cite This Page:
AIScamRecovery.com. "Online Scam Statistics 2026: How Much Money Americans Lose to Internet Fraud." April 2026. https://aiscamrecovery.com/stats/online-scam-statistics-2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money do Americans lose to online scams each year?
The FTC recorded $12.5 billion in consumer fraud losses in 2024 and the FBI IC3 recorded $16.6 billion in cybercrime losses in the same period. Because only an estimated 7–8% of victims report, total annual losses including unreported fraud may exceed $100–150 billion annually. Javelin Strategy estimates identity fraud (which includes scam-facilitated account takeover) alone cost $23 billion in 2023.
What is the most common online scam type?
Imposter scams are the most frequently reported to the FTC by volume (853,935 reports in 2023), covering government impersonation, business impersonation, and tech support fraud. By dollar loss, investment fraud — including crypto pig butchering scams — causes the most financial harm: $6.57 billion reported to the FBI in 2024.
Which age group loses the most money to online scams?
Adults aged 30–49 file the most fraud reports by volume. However, adults aged 70 and older report the highest median losses per incident ($1,450 vs. $300 for those aged 20–29). Seniors collectively lost $4.8 billion in cybercrime losses reported to FBI IC3 in 2024. Investment fraud and tech support scams disproportionately harm older adults.
What payment methods do online scammers prefer?
Cryptocurrency is the preferred method for high-dollar scams — $1.4 billion lost via crypto reported to the FTC in 2023, with a median loss of $800 per incident. Bank wire transfers average the highest individual losses at around $14,000. Gift cards (Google Play, Apple, Amazon) are frequently demanded by government impersonators targeting less tech-savvy victims.
Where do I report online fraud?
Report internet fraud to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. Report consumer fraud to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Contact your state attorney general's consumer protection division for state-level investigation. Also report platform-specific fraud to the platform involved — reports help flag fraudulent accounts and may help prevent other victims.