What You Absolutely Need to Know:
- In 2024, U.S. victims handed over a mind-boggling $9.3 billion to crypto scams – a 66% rise from last year. Guess we’re all just getting more generous.
- Shockingly, the elderly seem to be the preferred prey, with “pig butchering” scams topping the list. No, it’s not a diet trend, it’s a scam. 🙄
- It turns out investment fraud and tech support scams are *the* most expensive crypto crimes. Who would’ve thought?
Hold on to your hats, dear reader, because Americans have collectively lost $9.3 billion to crypto-related scams in 2024, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). This represents a 66% rise from the previous year—because why not throw in a little extra madness to make 2024 memorable? And don’t think it’s just a trend, it’s a full-blown disaster. 🎢
The FBI’s annual report reveals nearly 150,000 complaints connected to cryptocurrency scams. Of course, the most popular scam du jour is investment fraud, where charming con artists offer impossibly high returns on equally fake platforms. Naturally, the victims transfer their money, only to discover it has mysteriously vanished into the ether. How very *surprising*.
Then, there’s the charming “pig butchering” scam, which involves fraudsters befriending unsuspecting souls online before luring them into fake crypto investments. If you think that sounds like a bad date, you’re not wrong. This scam resulted in a cool $5.8 billion in losses, while data breaches came in a distant second with $1.1 billion. Talk about a *bacon-y* scheme, eh? 🐖
Now, who exactly is footing the bill for this mess? The elderly, of course! Americans aged 60 and up reported $2.8 billion in losses—up from $1.65 billion in 2023 and $1.08 billion in 2022. Apparently, getting scammed is the new hobby for retirees. Who needs golf when you can lose your life savings to a scammer pretending to be your long-lost cousin?
Not far behind, the 40-49 age group took a solid $1.4 billion hit, while the under-40 crowd combined for about $1.37 billion in losses. Don’t worry, though—no one’s exempt from being taken for a ride in the wild world of crypto.
But wait! There’s a twist in this sordid tale. Over 8,000 complaints came from people aged 60 and above, who fell for fraudulent investment opportunities. And if that wasn’t enough, tech support fraud and impersonation scams—often revolving around crypto ATMs—also contributed to the financial carnage. Let’s be honest, a scam involving an ATM is just *chef’s kiss* perfect, isn’t it? 🤦♂️
Fortunately, not all hope is lost. In January 2024, Operation Level Up kicked off, helping to identify thousands of crypto fraud victims and preventing an estimated $285 million in additional losses. Oh, and let’s not forget, 42 victims were referred for suicide intervention. Because nothing says “happy new year” like a government initiative that doubles as a life-saver. 🌱
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2025-04-24 15:35