- U.S. crypto scam losses reached a new $11.366B in 2025, 22% higher than in 2024.
- FBI logged 181,565 crypto complaints in 2025, making it IC3’s largest loss category.
- Investment fraud drove $7.228B, while recovery scams added about $1.4B in losses.
Crypto scams in the U.S. reached a new record in 2025, with reported losses of $11.366 billion. The total rose 22% from the prior year as each crypto scam expanded in scale and complexity.
According to a report on Tuesday, FBI crypto-related complaints rose 21% from 2024 to 181,565 in 2025. IC3 received more than 1 million total complaints across all categories.
Source: IC3
How Crypto Scam Losses Spread Across Schemes
Total reported cyber-enabled losses reached $20.88 billion in 2025. Crypto accounted for more than half of that damage, according to the report’s loss totals.
Investment fraud drove the bulk of the crypto losses. IC3 recorded 61,559 complaints tied to crypto investment schemes and linked them to $7.228 billion in reported losses.
Many cases relied on long-running social engineering rather than quick theft. Scammers often start with romance contact or unsolicited messages, then move the target into an “investment” pitch that requires crypto transfers.
Crypto ATM and kiosk scams also gained traction during the year. Victims made over 12,000 complaints, and losses totaled hundreds of millions.
Source: IC3
Recovery scams offered another source of large losses. The losses, the report said, included about $1.4 billion from schemes that preyed on victims of previous loss.
Scammers made offers to retrieve money and then requested more cryptocurrency for access verifications or other fees. The new outreach looked official and referenced information from the first case, leading many victims to pay again.
The report said extortion, sextortion, and impersonation schemes also demanded crypto to speed up payment.
Demographic data showed that older Americans suffered the deepest losses. The biggest loss across demographics was reported by people age 60 or older, who said they lost about $4.43 billion to crypto.
Geographic data showed the heaviest totals in populous states. According to the report’s breakdown by state, California, Texas, and Florida ranked highest in complaint totals and total losses.
AI Tools and Cross-Border Crypto Payments Raise Scam Risks
The FBI also flagged a shift in tools and entry points. Scammers used AI tools such as deepfakes and voice cloning. Social media, text messaging, and dating apps remained common gateways for a crypto scam.
The agency warned that the reported totals likely understate real damage because reporting remains voluntary and incomplete. Separate FTC data put total U.S. fraud losses at $15.9 billion in 2025, with investment scams accounting for nearly half.
However, activity involving global crypto scams was estimated by Chainalysis to be at least $14 billion, with the projections surpassing $17 billion.
Related: Chainalysis Reports Highlights the Evolution of Illicit Activities in the Darknet Market
Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is for informational and educational purposes only. The article does not constitute financial advice or advice of any kind. Coin Edition is not responsible for any losses incurred as a result of the utilization of content, products, or services mentioned. Readers are advised to exercise caution before taking any action related to the company.
