Americans lost a record $3.5 billion to imposter scams in 2025, FTC data show

Imposter scams were the most reported fraud category for a fifth straight year, with losses nearly tripling since 2020

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The Federal Trade Commission reported that Americans lost $3.5 billion to imposter scams in 2025, a record that reflects losses nearly tripling since 2020.

For the fifth year running, no fraud category generated more reports to the agency than imposter scams, which made up close to a third of all fraud complaints received. Of the approximately 1 million consumers who submitted an imposter scam complaint, roughly four in five reported no financial loss, according to CNBC. Among those who did, the median loss was $700 — though some victims lost more than $1 million.

Business impersonators accounted for nearly $1........

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