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FBI report shows crypto‑related fraud cost Americans $11.3 billion in 2025, over half of all cybercrime losses, with seniors bearing the biggest hit.
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reported that cryptocurrency‑related fraud siphoned $11.366 billion from U.S. victims in 2025, accounting for more than half of the $20.877 billion total cybercrime losses that year [1]. The surge underscores crypto’s role as the dominant payment method in fraud and highlights seniors as the most affected demographic.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Crypto fraud losses (2025) | $11.366 billion |
| Total cybercrime losses (2025) | $20.877 billion |
| Crypto‑investment fraud losses | $7.2 billion |
| Senior (60+) crypto losses | $4.43 billion |
The IC3 data show 181,565 crypto‑related complaints, a 400‑fold increase from the $27 million losses recorded in 2017 [1]. Investment scams alone generated $7.2 billion, making them the single largest source of financial harm. Across all fraud categories, crypto was the payment method in 72 % of investment fraud transactions, 43 % of tech‑support scams, and 40 % of government‑impersonation schemes [1].
Americans aged 60 and older filed 44,555 crypto complaints and lost $4.43 billion, the highest amount among all age groups [1]. Within crypto investment fraud, seniors reported $2.76 billion in losses, double the $1.38 billion reported by the 50‑59 cohort [1]. Operation Level Up, launched in January 2024, has notified 3,780 victims in 2025 and helped save an estimated $225.8 million, with a total of over $500 million saved since its inception [1].
A U.S. strike force seized a Telegram channel and more than 500 fake investment sites linked to a Burma‑based compound run by two Chinese nationals, offering a $10 million reward for information on related “Tai Chang” scam centers [2]. Parallel actions by Singapore’s police, in collaboration with major exchanges and blockchain analytics firms, prevented $2.86 million in potential losses during a month‑long operation [2].
The scale of crypto‑related fraud in 2025 shows that digital assets have become the primary conduit for cybercrime, especially for vulnerable seniors. Whether intensified enforcement can reverse the trend remains to be seen.
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AI-assisted synthesis by the TrendWatcher Editorial Desk · sourced from 4 outlets · Jul 5, 2026 · How we report
If a caller or message claims to be a sheriff’s deputy or other official and asks for payment via gift cards or Bitcoin, it is likely a fraud, as legitimate agencies never use these methods.
A CAPTCHA that asks you to press key combinations, run commands, download files, or enable browser notifications is a fake and should be avoided.
Disconnect the device from the internet, run a security scan, change passwords from a secure device, enable multi‑factor authentication, and report the incident to the FTC.