Specifically within the US:
- The FTC reported that scams cost consumers nearly $8.8 billion in 2024.
- Investment scams alone accounted for over $3.8 billion of those losses.
- Government impersonation scams saw a significant increase in 2024, with cash payments to these scammers nearly doubling from 2022 to 2023.
- In the first quarter of 2024, consumers reported losing $20 million to government impersonation scams when paying with cash.
- Crypto and investment scams are also on the rise, with over 50,000 investment scams reported in the first half of 2024, costing consumers nearly $2.5 billion.
