FTC: social scams cost $2.1B
- The Federal Trade Commission said on April 27 that Americans reported losing $2.1 billion to scams that started on social media in 2025. - Nearly 30% of people who reported scam losses said the fraud began on social platforms, and investment scams alone accounted for $1.1 billion. - The FTC said social media became the costliest scam contact method, with losses about eight times 2020 levels. (ftc.gov)
Americans reported losing $2.1 billion to scams that started on social media in 2025, according to new Federal Trade Commission data released April 27. (ftc.gov) The FTC said nearly 30% of people who reported losing money to a scam last year said it began on social media. It called social media the costliest contact method scammers used in 2025. (ftc.gov 1) (ftc.gov 2) The agency said reported losses tied to social media were about eight times the 2020 figure. It also said the real losses are likely higher because most scams are never reported to the government. (ftc.gov) The basic mechanics are simple: scammers use the same targeting tools that legitimate advertisers use. The FTC said they can buy ads, sort people by age, interests, or shopping habits, and reach billions of users at low cost. (ftc.gov 1) (ftc.gov 2) Facebook generated more reported losses than any other social platform in 2025, the FTC said. WhatsApp and Instagram ranked a distant second and third. (ftc.gov) Shopping scams were the most commonly reported type on social media. More than 40% of people who lost money on social-media scams said they ordered something they saw in an ad. (ftc.gov) Those ads often led to unfamiliar websites or pages impersonating established brands, the FTC said. Many buyers reported that items never arrived, while others said what showed up was counterfeit or different from the listing. (ftc.gov 1) (ftc.gov 2) Investment scams caused the biggest losses. The FTC said people reported losing $1.1 billion to investment schemes that started on social platforms, more than half of all reported social-media scam losses. (ftc.gov) (ftc.gov) Those schemes often started with ads or posts promising trading lessons, “successful investor” testimonials in WhatsApp groups, or friendly advisers steering victims to fake platforms. The FTC said some people even saw small withdrawals first, then invested more into accounts that were never real. (ftc.gov) Romance scams also remained heavily tied to social platforms. The FTC said nearly 60% of people who reported losing money to a romance scam in 2025 said the contact started on social media. (ftc.gov) (ftc.gov) The FTC’s consumer advice was practical rather than technical: limit who can see your posts and contacts, do not let someone from social media direct your investments, and search a seller’s name with “scam” or “complaint” before buying. (ftc.gov) The agency’s numbers turn social apps into the front door for a large share of reported fraud. In the FTC’s data for 2025, that door cost consumers more than any phone call, text, or email route did. (ftc.gov)
