Crypto and Investment Scam Statistics for 2025

Some 29,732 investment scams have been reported through the first quarter of 2025, costing consumers $1.5 billion. That puts this year on pace with 2024, during which a record 118,154 investment scams were reported with losses totaling $5.8 billion.

Crypto scams are also on pace to surpass a record 2024. Through first quarter of 2025, scammers have collected $472 million in cryptocurrency, up from $336 million in the first quarter of 2024. Crypto is the second-largest source of funds for scammers behind bank transfers.

The Motley Fool has put together the latest crypto and investment scam data for 2025 below.

What is an investment scam?

Investment scams aim to get individuals or businesses to provide money -- often cryptocurrency -- for an investment that will allegedly generate large returns. 

There are many types of investment scams, but they generally lure victims with promises of quick and large profits, only for victims to put up funds that are never seen again.

In this article, we use the terms "fraud" and "scam" interchangeably, because that's how the FTC reports its data.

Investment scam losses

Americans lost $1.5 billion to investment fraud and scams in the first quarter of 2025

In the first quarter of 2025, Americans lost $1.5 billion in investment fraud and scams through 29,169 reported cases. Among those cases, 79% involved a financial loss.

The median loss for investment scam victims in the first quarter of 2025 was $3,021. That’s up from the first quarter of 2024, when the median loss from investment scams was $2,500.

Investment fraud has steadily increased across reported cases, median loss, and total losses since 2020.

Investment scam statistics by age

Investment fraud reports and losses by age

Americans aged 40 to 49 reported the most investment scams through the first quarter of 2025: 3,119. That cost them $119 million, and the median amount lost was $4,000.

Americans between 30 and 70 are much more likely to fall victim to investment scams than are younger or older Americans.

The median amount lost to investment scams rises significantly with age. The median loss for Americans younger than 19 hit by investment scams is $659. That rises to $7,500 for those 40 to 49 and $25,000 for victims over 80.

While median losses from investment scams rise with age, total losses peak in the 50-to-59-year-old group. They lost $164 million in the first quarter of 2025. Those 80 and older lost just $16 million despite having the largest median loss.

Crypto scam statistics

Cryptocurrency is the top payment method for investment scams and fraud

Crypto is the top payment method by far for investment scams. Victims of 6,174 investment scams paid scammers $279 million in cryptocurrency in the first quarter of 2025. That’s a roughly $90 million increase from the first quarter of 2024.

Investment scams accounted for 48% of all scams involving cryptocurrency, and 60% of the cryptocurrency scammers received in the first quarter of 2025 was from an investment scam, according to FTC data. That’s far more than any other category of scam.

Scammers try to use crypto to receive funds from victims because there are no reliable ways for victims to get their money back once it’s sent in the form of cryptocurrency. Investment scams have a natural tie to crypto, making it no surprise that it’s the most common and lucrative way to extract cash from victims.

Americans lost $472 million to crypto fraud in the first quarter of 2025

Looking beyond investment scams, Americans lost $472 million to scammers via cryptocurrency in the first quarter of 2025.About 29% of all cash lost to scammers over that period was a result of a crypto transfer, making it the second-most-popular payment method behind only bank transfers.

Crypto as a preferred payment method for scammers came to prominence in 2021. In 2020, scammers extracted $130 million from victims via crypto. That grew to $746 million in 2021, $1.4 billion in 2022, $1.4 billion in 2023, and $1.4 billion again in 2024. 2025 is on pace to be higher.

Investment scams and social media

Scammers are increasingly relying on social media to reach targets

Forty-two percent of investment scam victims in the first quarter of 2025 were contacted via social media, far more than any other type of contact method. Another 16% were contacted through a website or app.

The number of investment scam victims that reported social media to be their initial method of contact has grown from 4,889 in 2020 to 26,160 in 2023. In 2020, just 29% of investment scams started via social media.

How to spot a scam

How to spot a scam and how to report it 

With investment scams on the rise, it’s important that the public knows how to spot and report a scam. 

Investment scams come in many forms and are constantly changing to keep up with trends and current events. Cryptocurrency scams in particular are increasingly popular, and more scammers are using social media, websites, and apps to target the public. 

To avoid getting scammed, follow a few rules of thumb recommended by the FTC:

• Be wary of an opportunity that seems too good to be true. If it is, it’s usually a scam. 
• Do your research. Don't invest in something you don’t understand or haven’t heard of. If you’re approached about a company or cryptocurrency that’s new to you, the FTC recommends that you search for it online along with “scam,” “review,” or “complaint.”
• Avoid investment opportunities that require you to pay by cryptocurrency, wire transfer, or gift card. Doing so will make it extremely difficult to get your money back. 

If you’ve been targeted by a scam, make sure you report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov, even if you haven’t lost any money. If you've lost money as a result of an investment scam, reporting it is the best way to have a chance at recouping your losses.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, investment and cryptocurrency scams aren’t going anywhere. In fact, data over the last few years makes clear that those scams are becoming more prevalent and costly and that scammers are constantly evolving their tactics.

Remaining vigilant, doing your own research before investing, and avoiding overtures that require you to pay by cryptocurrency, wire, or gift card are surefire ways to avoid losses and remain on a path to financial success.