FBI Report Finds US Citizens Losing $2.57 Billion To Crypto Fraudsters In 2022

Investment Fraud Statistics for 2022 Compiled By FBI

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has compiled a report for the year 2002 which contains the statistics pertaining to crypto frauds. It goes to shed light on the growing number of scams that are taking place in the crypto world.

FBI’s report is limited to crypto frauds that had been committed in the jurisdiction of the US and involved US citizens.

The report, which is called ‘FBI’s Internet Crime Report for the Year 2022”, has been issued by the FBI last week. It provides detailed information as to how people in the US have lost money to investment scams.

IC3’s Data Comprising Statistics of Crypto Investment Losses

According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) of the FBI, which provided the data for the report, crypto frauds have doubled since 2021.

This is an alarming situation for the US locals as it suggests that crypto crimes run at large in the US.

IC3 is a special wing of the FBI which serves also as an online complaint center for cybercrime reports and complaints. Even the complaints pertaining to crypto frauds are received by IC3 for taking action against perpetrators.

IC3 suggests in the report that the report losses caused by investment frauds in 2021 were limited to $1.45 Billion. However, in the year 2022, such complaints involved losses to the tune of $3.31 Billion.

Out of $1.45 Billion in losses in 2021, crypto investment frauds accounted for approximately $907 Million.

However for 2022, out of $3.31 Billion losses, more than $2.57 Billion stemmed from crypto investment frauds, claimed FBI’s IC3. This clearly shows that a tremendous increase has been recorded in scams belonging to the same category.

As per the FBI, the crypto investment fraud increase in 2021 was about 127% while the 187% increase was with regard to 2022.

The majority of US Victims of Crypto Investment Frauds Were From the Age Group of 30 to 50 Years

FBI has also compiled data that shows which particular age group of US citizens were the most victims of crypto fraud.

The report suggested that the majority of such victims were from the age group between 30 to 50 years old.

The report further notes that many of the victims had secured banking loans for onward investing in crypto investment schemes. Similarly, many of them secured further loans for settling their debts with the banks.

FBI Report Identifies Active Crypto Investment Fraud Schemes

Apart from discussing crypto fraud losses in detail, the FBI’s report also provides information with regard to existing/active crypto fraud schemes.

For instance, the report suggests that a number of active crypto fraud schemes involve ‘liquidity mining’.

Another category of such schemes is pointed out to be alarmingly active on various social media platforms.

For example, it has been reported that cybercriminals have been targeting the social media accounts of influential personalities.

After hacking the accounts, the same has been used to promote fake, fraudulent, and Ponzi crypto investment schemes.

FBI Issues Warning For General Public

A warning from the FBI has been issued after the publication of its report. In its warning to the general public, the FBI has warned that crypto-related crimes have been reaping all over the US.

It has been explained by the FBI that the majority of fraudsters are based in jurisdictions outside the US territory. People must remain cautious and alert about such imposters and bad actors stay wary of them.

FBI noted that through their tactics, the fraudsters have managed to cause a loss of over $2 Billion for US citizens.

FBI further warned that US citizens would need to act responsibly before even trusting a crypto investment scheme.

It warned that fraudulent schemes are such that they look 100% real because they have been engineered to look ‘genuine’ and ‘authentic’.

According to the FBI, even romance and dating websites have been established by fraudsters for targeting their victims.