One in five Americans have reported falling victim to an online scam or attack, with total costs ranging from $12.5 to $16.8 billion, a roughly 25% annual increase from the previous year. However, those figures, as reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Trade Commission, respectively, do not account for the fact that the vast majority of scams go unreported, with an estimated three in four victims never filing a report with law enforcement. Furthermore, frauds and scams do not occur exclusively online, as criminals continue to commit “in-person” frauds or use technology to perpetuate scams via other telecommunication channels.

Globally, 80% of consumers experienced an attempted scam in 2024, affecting people of all age groups. In fact, younger generations are more likely to be targets of cyber threats than older generations. Cyber scams have become so prevalent that cybersecurity and online safety are weekly concerns for many Americans, with 60% believing they will be scammed at some point.

As the volume and cost of this criminal activity has risen in recent years, federal officials have become more involved, even working with other countries and organizations to combat these schemes. However, much can still be done to fight against fraud and scams. Solutions to combat the proliferation of scams will likely incorporate both new and existing technologies, leverage existing laws and require the crafting of new ones, and involve all levels of government. While this Basic will focus on current scams targeting U.S. consumers and the federal response, it is important to note that the list is by no means exhaustive, and both state and federal authorities are taking additional actions against these criminals.