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Investment fraud, older victims and AI-linked scams drove the surge
TL;DR
- U.S. victims reported a record $11,366,669,732 in crypto scam losses in 2025, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
- Crypto investment fraud remained the biggest category, while people 60 and older reported the largest losses.
- The FBI also tied major losses to crypto ATM fraud, recovery scams and AI-enabled deception.
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Americans reported a record $11,366,669,732 in cryptocurrency-related fraud losses in 2025, as the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center said crypto became the largest loss category inside a broader surge in cyber-enabled crime. The losses were driven primarily by investment fraud, with older victims accounting for the biggest share, while crypto ATM schemes, recovery scams and AI-linked fraud added to the total.
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center said it received 181,565 cryptocurrency-related complaints in 2025, up 21% from the prior year, while crypto-related losses rose 22% from $9.3 billion in 2024. Total cyber-enabled losses across all categories reached about $20.88 billion from more than 1 million IC3 complaints, leaving cryptocurrency responsible for more than half of the reported damage. Average reported crypto losses stood at $62,604, and 18,589 complainants reported losses above $100,000.
IC3 also said cyber-related crimes cost Americans nearly $21 billion last year. It said roughly 45% of complaints involved cyber-enabled fraud or scams, but those cases generated 85% of the losses reported to the bureau.
Investment fraud and senior victims accounted for the largest damage
Investment fraud was the biggest source of crypto losses in 2025. IC3 said victims were often drawn in through social engineering tactics that included romance-style approaches, unsolicited messages and fraudulent pitches that directed them to fake crypto investment platforms.
People age 60 and older reported the heaviest losses. That group filed 44,555 crypto-related complaints and reported $4,432,224,488 in losses, nearly 40% of the annual total. The report above said that figure was more than double the $2,139,033,232 reported by victims ages 50 to 59, and it also marked a sharp increase from the $2.8 billion seniors lost in 2024.
Older Americans also absorbed the biggest share of crypto ATM and kiosk fraud. Victims age 60 and older filed 6,188 such complaints and reported $257,466,130 in losses. Recovery scams also hit that age group heavily, with losses reaching $540,505,980. Those schemes increasingly involved people posing as government officials or representatives of supposed recovery firms who re-targeted victims after an earlier theft.
Geographically, California reported the largest crypto-related losses at $2.099 billion, followed by Texas at $1.016 billion, Florida at $914.5 million and New York at $593.4 million.
AI-enabled fraud and FBI intervention efforts expanded
IC3 said fraud involving AI-related information produced 22,364 complaints and $893,346,472 in associated losses. The bureau said criminals used voice cloning, deepfakes, synthetic profiles and AI-generated messaging to impersonate executives, trusted public figures, relatives and romantic interests.
The FBI paired the data with figures from Operation Level Up, which launched in January 2024 to identify victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud. The program has now notified more than 8,000 victims and helped prevent over $500 million in losses, including $225,871,319 in 2025 alone. The bureau said 78% of the 3,780 victims contacted last year did not know they were being scammed, and 38 people were referred for suicide intervention.
Jose Perez, Operations Director for the Bureau’s Criminal and Cyber Branch, said, “The FBI remains fully committed to ensuring Americans’ safety online.”
FAQ
What was the total crypto scam loss in 2025?
$11,366,669,732.
Which fraud type caused the most damage?
Crypto investment fraud caused the largest losses.
Which age group lost the most money?
People age 60 and older.
What program did the FBI cite for intervention?
Operation Level Up.
This article has been refined and enhanced by ChatGPT.
