FBI releases annual internet crime report | News

Philadelphia — People over 60 were scammed out of $4.8 billion from internet schemes in 2024, according to the FBI.

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has released its latest annual report, which combines information from 859,532 complaints of suspected internet crime and details reported losses exceeding $16 billion. That’s a 33% increase in losses from 2023.  

Most popular cybercrimes

Nationwide, the top three cybercrimes, by number of complaints, reported in 2024 were: phishing/spoofing, extortion, and personal data breaches. The top three crime types reported by victims of fraud loss were: investment scams, business email compromise, and tech support scams. 

Cryptocurrency fraud continued to be a devastating crime. In 2024, the IC3 received over 149,000 complaints with $9.3 billion in total losses, representing a 66% increase from 2023. 

For individuals over the age of 60, the IC3 received over 147,000 complaints spanning across all cyber scams, with losses totaling $4.8 billion. This is a 46% increase in complaints from 2023 and a 43% increase in losses from 2023. The average loss was $83,000.  

Pa. residents lose $400 million

Pennsylvania was in the top 10 states by number of complaints to IC3 as well as the top 10 states by losses. In reported complaints per state, Pennsylvania was fifth overall with over 27,000 reports. In reported losses, Pennsylvania was eighth overall, with losses of over $400 million. 

For New Jersey, there were over 15,000 complaints reported. New Jersey was 6th in overall reported losses with about $434.8 million.  

“Since our founding, the FBI has vigorously pursued complex financial crimes. While the methods have evolved, the motives remain the same — criminals seeking to exploit others for profit. Today, fraudsters are using advanced digital tools to scale their schemes and target victims around the globe,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Whether you’re an individual consumer or a large corporation, the threat is real—and growing. That’s why we urge everyone to stay vigilant online, and report suspected internet crimes to the FBI at ic3.gov. Your reports are vital — they help us disrupt criminal networks, share intelligence with our partners, and safeguard our communities.”

The IC3, which was established in May 2000, houses nine million complaints from the public in its database and continues to encourage anyone who thinks they’ve been the victim of a cyber-enabled crime, regardless of dollar loss, to file a complaint through the IC3 website. The more comprehensive complaints the FBI receives, the more effective it will be in helping law enforcement gain a more accurate picture of the extent and nature of internet-facilitated crimes. 

The FBI recommends that everyone frequently review consumer and industry alerts published by the IC3. If you or your business are a victim of an internet crime, immediately notify all financial institutions involved in the relevant transactions, submit a complaint to www.ic3.gov, contact your nearest FBI field office, and contact local law enforcement. 

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