The public reported a 25 percent increase in losses–totaling more than $12.5 billion in 2024–to investment scams, tech rip-offs, and general fraud, according to an analysis by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Each year fraud is reported to the FTC by individuals, businesses, local law enforcement, and organizations via the agency’s website or by phone. The agency investigates credible reports of large-scale fraud, and takes legal action to halt it, return lost money to consumers, and penalize egregious wrongdoers. The agency tracks fraud data and notes year-over-year trends.
