Americans Reported $2.1 Billion Lost to Fraud on Social Platforms in 2025, FTC Says

Americans reported losing about $2.1 billion to fraud that began on social networking sites in 2025, federal data released Thursday show. The Federal Trade Commission said losses tied to scams on social platforms jumped roughly eight times compared with previous reporting and outstripped losses from any other route scammers used to reach victims. Almost three in 10 people who told the agency they had been bilked said the scheme started on a social site.

Facebook accounted for more reported losses than any other platform, with WhatsApp and Instagram trailing well behind, the agency found. In fact, the amount people said they lost on Facebook alone surpassed what victims reported losing through traditional text messages or email, underscoring how lucrative social channels have become for fraudsters.

The most common complaints involved buy-now fraud on social feeds. More than two in five people who lost money after contact on a social site said they paid for an item they saw in an ad — everything from consumer electronics and clothing to auto parts and niche collectibles. Many of those ads directed buyers to unfamiliar web pages or to counterfeit storefronts pretending to be established retailers offering steep discounts.

Investment-related fraud was also widespread. Scammers used posts and paid advertisements promising investing lessons to lure people, then steered them into fake apps and platforms. Some operators set up messaging groups filled with phony success stories or posed as trusted advisers to win victims’ confidence. The FTC’s figures show those investment schemes were responsible for about $1.1 billion in losses last year.

Romance fraud tied to social profiles remained a major problem: nearly three in five people who reported losing money to an online romance said it began on a social platform. Scammers often crafted messages that mirrored a user’s interests and timeline, then invented urgent financial needs or nudged victims toward bogus investment opportunities.

Consumer advocates say the surge calls for both tougher platform safeguards and sharper user habits. A university-based consumer-protection researcher noted that scams thrive where privacy settings are lax and verification is weak. The FTC suggests people tighten who can see their posts and contacts, be skeptical of anyone met online who urges financial moves, and research sellers before buying — including searching a company’s name alongside terms like “scam” or “complaint.”