Scammers steal billions of dollars from the American people every year. AI is making scams more believable.
Here are the top scams for 2025, according to the Federal Trade Commission, Better Business Bureau, and FIB, and they’re the tricks that you should look out for in 2026.
Imposter scams. Scammers impersonate banks and other financial institutions, government agencies, and relatives in trouble.
Cryptocurrency. Fraudsters in 2025 stole more than $333 million from Americans with lies perpetrated using bitcoin ATM machines.
Text messages. Known as “smishing,” text messages warn of delivery problems, unpaid fees, or account suspensions.
Employment. Scammers often post phony ads on job sites or send emails claiming to offer employment.
Tech support. They claim that your computer has a virus or technical issue and offer to fix it for a fee.
Romance. Scammers create fake profiles on dating sites and social media platforms, building relationships with victims to gain their trust.
Sweepstakes and lottery. In order to claim the winnings, the victim needs to first pay a fee or provide personal information.
Investment. Scammers promise high returns on investments that are too good to be true.
Fake charities. Scammers pose as legitimate charitable organizations in order to solicit donations.
Identity theft. Scammers use stolen personal information to open fraudulent accounts or make unauthorized purchases.
The FTC advises consumers to report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, while the FBI encourages reporting through its Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
