Crypto Scams Surge to US$11B in Losses as FBI Sounds Alarm

Americans lost more than US$11 billion (AU$15.95 billion) to cryptocurrency-related scams in 2025, according to the FBI’s latest internet crime report, underscoring the growing scale of digital asset fraud. The losses came from 181,565 complaints involving crypto, making it the category with the highest reported financial damage among cyber-enabled crimes.

Overall, the FBI recorded more than one million cybercrime complaints during the year, with total losses exceeding US$21 billion (AU$30.45 billion), reflecting a broader surge in online fraud. Investment scams were identified as the primary driver of crypto-related losses, accounting for nearly half of all scam-related damages reported.

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Rising Losses Despite Crackdowns

The report highlighted that these schemes often rely on long-term manipulation, presenting an appearance of legitimacy to persuade victims to commit substantial sums. Data also showed that the average financial loss per crypto complaint reached US$62,604 (AU$90,776), indicating that victims are frequently drawn into high-value scams rather than minor incidents.

In addition to adults, younger individuals have also been affected, with around 10% of cybercrime complaints involving minors linked to crypto or crypto ATMs, resulting in losses exceeding US$5 million (AU$7.25 million).

The FBI noted that cases have continued to rise despite enforcement initiatives such as Operation Level Up, which aims to identify and warn individuals targeted by crypto investment fraud.

Officials also pointed to increasingly sophisticated tactics, including impersonation schemes, AI-generated content and social engineering methods designed to pressure victims into acting quickly.

Related: Crypto ATM Scams Hit $333M in the U.S. as AI Deepfakes Fuel Fraud