The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released its annual report on internet crime, highlighting a disturbing trend of rising online scams. According to the report, Americans lost over $20 billion to cryptocurrency and other online scams in 2025, a significant increase from the previous year.
The majority of these losses came from cryptocurrency investment scams, which are becoming increasingly sophisticated. These scams typically involve scammers using psychological manipulation and fake promises of high returns to lure victims into investing large sums of money. Once the victim has invested, they are often subject to further manipulation, including the promise of loans or fabricated profits.
The FBI is warning that these scams can have devastating consequences for victims, particularly seniors who may be more vulnerable due to their age and life experience. To combat these scams, the FBI recommends using a method called 'Take a Beat', which involves resisting pressure to act quickly and assessing the situation before turning over money or personal information.
Victims of online scams are advised to document as much information as possible about the scammer, including their name, company, methods of contact, and any interactions. They should also report the incident to their local FBI office or submit a complaint on the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) website.