Cryptocurrency fraudsters stole a record $ 9.3 billion from digital asset owners in the US

In 2024, the total losses of Americans due to cryptocurrency fraud reached a record high of more than $ 9.3 billion. The most vulnerable group was citizens aged 60 and older. According to the annual report of the FBI’s Internet Cybercrime Complaint Center (IC3), this category of the population suffered losses of about $ 2.8 billion, which is almost a third of the total.

Despite the fact that seniors make up only 17% of the U.S. population, they filed more than 33 thousand complaints related to cryptocurrency fraud. The average amount of loss per person aged 60 was $ 83 thousand, which is four times higher than the average for other online crimes, which is $ 19 thousand.

One of the key threats was cryptomachine fraud, with cases of abuse on such devices almost doubling compared to 2023. Pensioners lost more than $ 107 million through these schemes alone. Criminals often force victims to transfer funds from their investment or pension accounts via cryptomat, posing as urgent payments or deposits.

The main type of fraud remains investment schemes, which have brought criminals $ 1.6 billion in pensioners alone. Victims are often promised high returns on cryptocurrency investments, but instead of income, they are left with empty accounts.

In response, the FBI has launched an initiative called Operation Level Up, aimed at identifying potential victims and warning of fraudulent investments. The program has prevented more than $ 285 million in losses since its launch last January.