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<p>Bitcoin and its cousins still dream of conquering the planet, but the road sometimes looks like a minefield. Barely has crypto gained a few centimeters in modern finance than scams are already arriving by the truckload. The sector promises the future, fraudsters sell the mirage, and novice investors often end up plucked before even understanding how it works. The FBI has just put brutal numbers on this reality.</p>
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  <h2 class="in-brief--title" id="in-brief">In brief</h2>
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   <li>The FBI recorded 181,565 crypto complaints, amounting to $11.36 billion in losses.</li>
   <li>Fake investments account for $7.2 billion stolen, becoming the engine of American scams.</li>
   <li>Those over 60 suffered $4.43 billion in losses, far ahead of all victims.</li>
   <li>The FBI also reports 22,364 AI-related complaints, totaling nearly $893 million.</li>
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<h2 id="h-the-rush-to-crypto-turns-into-a-jackpot-for-scammers">The Rush to Crypto Turns into a Jackpot for Scammers</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.cointribune.com/en/crypto-fear-persists-despite-on-chain-accumulation-signs/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">crypto market</a> is not lacking volatility, but some figures hit harder than a 20% red candle. <a href="https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2025_IC3Report.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">According to the FBI</a>, Americans reported $11.36 billion in losses linked to crypto scams in 2025. This represents 181,565 complaints, more than half of all losses recorded across the country’s financial cybercrimes. Digital finance has found its Wild West.</p>
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<p>The most striking thing remains the speed of the escalation. In 2017, losses related to crypto scams were around $27 million. Eight years later, the counter exceeds $11 billion. The market has thickened, decentralized finance has become democratized, and scams have followed the same curve as adoption.</p>
<p>The FBI itself summarizes <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/cryptocurrency-and-ai-scams-bilk-americans-of-billions" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">the gravity of the situation</a>:</p>
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 <p><em>Americans who filed complaints involving cryptocurrencies reported the highest losses, with 181,565 complaints totaling over 11 billion dollars.</em></p><cite>Source: FBI Internet Crime Report 2025</cite>
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<p>The bulk of the damage comes from fake investment opportunities. These scams alone represent $7.2 billion vanished.</p>
<h2 id="h-retirement-finance-becomes-scammers-favorite-hunting-ground">Retirement Finance Becomes Scammers’ Favorite Hunting Ground</h2>
<p>Behind the billions, there are very real profiles. And in this scam theater, those over 60 too often play the main victims. The FBI estimates that this age group lost $4.43 billion in crypto scams in 2025. That is more than any other demographic group.</p>
<p>Why them? Because many have <a href="https://www.cointribune.com/en/your-savings-are-at-risk-as-capitalism-falters/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">savings</a>, sometimes considerable assets, but without the technical reflexes of a digital native. For fraudsters, it’s a safe with the door ajar.</p>
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 <figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img src="https://www.cryptopolitan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CryptoAgeScamsApr72026.png.webp" alt="Statistics on crypto scams by age">
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   Cryptocurrency-related scams targeting individuals have focused more on people over 60 years old – Source: FBI IC3 Report
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<p>The phenomenon does not stop with retirees. Even the younger ones are starting to fall into the trap. The FBI specifies that minors 17 and under are included in complaints, with over $5 million in losses linked to crypto ATMs and other schemes.</p>
<p>Another chilling figure: the average loss exceeds $62,000 per victim. We are no longer talking about petty thefts. We are talking about entire savings vaporized in a few clicks.</p>
<p>While crypto is still seeking to earn its place in global finance, its scams have already found theirs.</p>
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<h2 id="h-scams-change-faces-crypto-enters-the-era-of-enhanced-scams">Scams Change Faces, Crypto Enters the Era of Enhanced Scams</h2>
<p>The 2026 crypto fraudster no longer looks like yesterday’s stereotypical scammer. Impeccable digital suit, credible fake documents, cloned voices, doctored videos: the scam enters the industrial age. The FBI even dedicates an entire section to artificial intelligence in its report for the first time.</p>
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<p>Result: 22,364 complaints related to <a href="https://www.cointribune.com/en/deepseek-ai-success-highlights-rising-crypto-scam-risks/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">AI-enhanced scams</a>, totaling nearly $893 million in losses. Now, manipulation is surgical. Scammers imitate relatives, celebrities, financial advisors, or even public institutions.</p>
<p>The FBI warns bluntly:</p>
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 <p><em>Scammers rely on pressure techniques to defraud Americans while using fake social profiles, voice clones, identity documents, and credible videos.</em></p><cite>Source: FBI Press Release, April 2026</cite>
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<p>Even the federal bureau had its image usurped via a fake token circulating on Tron. The message claimed the recipient’s wallet was “under investigation.” The kind of trap that turns panic into a weapon.</p>
<h3 id="h-the-numbers-that-summarize-the-disaster">The Numbers That Summarize the Disaster</h3>
<ul>
 <li>$11.36 billion lost in crypto scams in 2025;</li>
 <li>181,565 complaints recorded by the FBI;</li>
 <li>$7.2 billion stolen via fake investments;</li>
 <li>$4.43 billion lost by those over 60;</li>
 <li>$893 million linked to AI-enhanced scams.</li>
</ul>
<p>The crypto industry therefore has to fight on multiple fronts at once. Massive scams are already accompanied by another, even more silent threat: quantum computing. Some sector players, like <a href="https://www.cointribune.com/en/naoris-protocol-the-answer-to-the-quantum-threat/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Naoris Protocol</a>, are working to build defenses against this emerging risk. Crypto has not finished playing its survival on several fronts at once.</p>

Americans Lost 11 Billion Dollars in Crypto Scams in 2025 According to the FBI

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