Fraud Losses Hit $15.9 Billion in 2025 as Investment Scams Cause Steepest Damage
Americans lost $15.9 billion to fraud in 2025, according to new data cited by Forbes. Investment scams caused the largest financial losses, while imposter scams were the most commonly reported type of fraud. Experts say digital fraud is rising and urge consumers to strengthen account security.
Americans lost $15.9 billion to fraud in 2025, according to data cited by Forbes Personal Finance in May 2026.
Investment scams caused the steepest financial damage, with victims often losing large sums to fake cryptocurrency platforms, fraudulent trading apps, and bogus investment advisors. Imposter scams, where criminals pretend to be government officials, bank employees, or tech support workers, were the most frequently reported type of fraud.
One notable case involved Robert Dunlap, who received a 23-year prison sentence for running the Meta 1 Coin crypto scam. Dunlap defrauded nearly 1,000 investors out of millions of dollars.
Fake armed robberies were also used in a U-Visa fraud scheme, where criminals staged crimes to help people fraudulently obtain immigration benefits.
Financial experts say consumers can take several steps to protect themselves. These include setting up account alerts for unusual activity, enabling two-factor authentication on financial accounts, placing a credit freeze with the three major credit bureaus, and being skeptical of unsolicited calls, texts, or emails asking for personal or financial information.
The Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau both accept fraud reports and can help victims understand their options.
Experts say older adults and people who are new to investing are at higher risk of falling victim to investment scams. They recommend verifying any investment opportunity through official regulatory databases before sending money.
