Americans reported nearly $21 billion in cybercrime losses in 2025, according to the FBI. Investment fraud accounted for the largest share, with cryptocurrency-related scams driving more than $11 billion in losses.
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 1 million complaints in 2025, up from about 860,000 the year before. Total reported losses reached $20.9 billion, a 26% increase year over year.
Cyber-enabled fraud accounted for approximately $17.7 billion of those losses, representing the clear majority of financial impact reported. This category includes investment scams, business email compromise, tech support fraud, and other schemes where victims are persuaded to transfer money or disclose information.
Where the losses are concentrated
Investment fraud was the single largest driver, responsible for nearly half of all scam-related losses. These schemes often involve cryptocurrency and typically unfold over time, with repeated interactions designed to build trust before funds are transferred.
Other forms of cyber-enabled fraud contributed significant losses but operate differently. Business email compromise focuses on payment redirection and invoice manipulation, while tech support scams, spoofing, and phishing rely on shorter, high-pressure interactions.
Cryptocurrency remained the most common payment channel in high-loss cases, with complaints involving crypto transactions reporting losses exceeding $11 billion.
Why fraud is driving the totals
The data reflects a shift in how cybercrime generates financial impact. In many of the highest-loss cases, victims are not breached through direct intrusion. They are persuaded to transfer funds, disclose credentials, or authorize transactions.
That distinction matters. Technical controls can reduce exposure to attacks, but they do not prevent a legitimate user from approving a fraudulent request.
AI is accelerating existing tactics
The FBI also reported more than 22,000 complaints referencing AI-related scams, with losses totaling roughly $893 million. These cases include voice cloning, synthetic identities, and AI-generated messaging.
AI is not the primary driver of losses, but it lowers the barrier to entry. Messages are more polished, impersonation is more convincing, and attacks can be executed at a greater scale.
Breaches disrupt. Scams drive the losses.
Ransomware, data breaches, and direct intrusions still matter and continue to disrupt operations. However, they are no longer the primary source of financial loss.
Organizations should focus on controls around financial decision-making, including payment verification, approval workflows, and account change requests. These processes should not rely on a single communication channel or a single point of approval.
For individuals, the highest-risk scenarios involve unsolicited investment opportunities, urgent payment requests, and unexpected contact from authority figures or known contacts. Verification through a separate channel remains one of the most effective safeguards.
Sources
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