{"id":47794,"date":"2026-04-08T02:18:53","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T02:18:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/2026\/04\/08\/fbi-finds-americans-lost-billions-in-cryptocurrency-scams\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T02:19:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T02:19:15","slug":"fbi-finds-americans-lost-billions-in-cryptocurrency-scams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/2026\/04\/08\/fbi-finds-americans-lost-billions-in-cryptocurrency-scams\/","title":{"rendered":"FBI finds Americans lost billions in cryptocurrency scams"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n<\/p>\n

\n

By Brett Rowland | center square<\/p>\n

\"bitcoin<\/p>\n

(meaningful news<\/a>) \u2013 According to the latest data from the FBI, Americans are set to lose more than $20 billion to cryptocurrency and other online scams in 2025, a 26% increase from the previous year.<\/p>\n

Online fraud is increasing rapidly. Scams using cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence are becoming smarter. This makes it difficult for people, especially senior citizens, to tell what is genuine and what is a scam. New FBI data shows that these scams are becoming a bigger problem, and police are trying to fight them.<\/p>\n

According to the FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report, about $11.4 billion of last year’s $20 billion online scams were lost to cryptocurrency scams. Of this, $7.2 billion resulted from cryptocurrency investment scams.<\/p>\n

The report also says that senior citizens are most likely to lose money to scams. People age 60 and older lost about $7.7 billion, a 37% increase from 2024.<\/p>\n

In 2025, the FBI received 81,565 cryptocurrency-related complaints, a 21% increase from 2024. These reports resulted in losses of $11.4 billion, with the average individual loss being $62,604. More than 18,500 complaints involved losses of more than $100,000.<\/p>\n

According to the report, “Cryptocurrency investment scams are sophisticated long-term scams that exploit psychological manipulation, the appearance of legitimacy, and cryptocurrencies to deceive victims into investing large sums of money.” \u201cThese scams are largely carried out by organized criminal enterprises based in Southeast Asia, who use human trafficking victims as forced labor to run scam operations.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a high-stakes scheme, scammers aggressively lure victims, urging them to transfer cryptocurrencies to fraudulent investment platforms or apps. They immediately show the victims fabricated profits and promise loans, and pressure them to invest even more. As victims try to withdraw funds, they are burdened with fraudulent taxes and fees, further exacerbating the devastation.<\/p>\n

Then, in a last ditch effort to get more money, some people offer extortion scams to these victims.<\/p>\n

“Victims are also targeted by recovery scams that claim to help them recover lost funds,” according to the report. \u201cThese scams are often devastating as they can subject victims to significant financial losses and emotional distress.\u201d<\/p>\n

The FBI wants everyone to use the “Take a Beat” method to recognize scam warning signs.<\/p>\n

“Resist the pressure to act quickly and assess the situation before handing over money or personal information,” the agency warned.<\/p>\n

People who have been victims or know victims of a fraud or scam should call their local FBI office as soon as possible or file a complaint at ic3.gov.<\/p>\n

Victims should record the scammer’s name, company, contact methods, contact dates, payment methods, where funds are sent, and complete details of the conversation.<\/p>\n

\n