Cryptocurrency

Crypto investment fraud in the US hits record $2.57B – up 183% YoY

According to the FBI’s 2022 Internet Crime report, cryptocurrency investment fraud in the United States will nearly triple year-over-year in 2022, making investment fraud the “most costly scheme reported.” report.

183% increase in crypto fraud

Crypto investment fraud will reach a record $2.57 billion in 2022, up 183% on an annual basis, compared to $907 million in 2021.

Losses from crypto investment fraud accounted for about 25% of all money lost to online fraud and fraud in 2022, and almost 90% of the $3.31 billion lost to online investment fraud.

Overall, Americans lost a total of $10.3 billion to online fraud this year, compared to $6.9 billion in 2021.

The FBI began collecting data on online fraud in 2000 through its Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), and $10.3 billion lost in 2022 is the highest amount stolen by online scammers and fraudsters.

Similarly, crypto-based fraud also reached record numbers this year, with the majority of complaints tagged with the “cryptocurrency wallet” descriptor.

“Cryptocurrency investment scams have witnessed an unprecedented increase in the number of victims and financial losses to these investors.”

Investment Fraud Breakdown

According to the FBI, malicious actors used a variety of methods to target and defraud victims.

Some scammers provided victims with access to fake liquidity mining platforms. Once victims connect their cryptocurrency wallets to the above platforms, scammers wipe their funds without notice or notice.

Some scammers use hacked social media profiles to offer fake investment offers to profile friends and family, while others use fake celebrity profiles to cheat similar schemes. I was.

Crypto investment scams are not limited to online schemes, some scammers used fake real estate investment opportunities to steal people’s cryptocurrency. Fake job opportunities were also used to scam people. I was.

According to the report, the majority of victims of investment fraud are between the ages of 30 and 49, and about 30% of victims are over the age of 60.

Meanwhile, the FBI says scammers are becoming more sophisticated and have recently started targeting cryptocurrency exchanges and their customers.

“These days, scammers are increasingly using custodial accounts held at financial institutions for cryptocurrency exchanges or having victims transfer funds directly to cryptocurrency platforms where funds are quickly distributed. .”

Scammers primarily carry out these scams by spoofing phone numbers and compromising business emails.

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