In 2025, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received more than 1 million reports about imposter scams, and people reported losing more than $3.5 billion to them. That made imposter scams the most frequently reported kind of fraud, as they have been every year since 2020. These numbers cover every way a scammer reaches someone, not only phone calls.
What did the FTC report for 2025?
The numbers below come from the FTC’s press release and written testimony to a congressional committee, dated 25 March 2026. All figures are for calendar year 2025.
| What | 2025 figure |
|---|---|
| Fraud reports received | 3 million |
| Losses reported | $15.9 billion |
| Imposter scam reports | More than 1 million |
| Losses reported to imposter scams | More than $3.5 billion |
| Losses reported to investment scams | $7.9 billion |
For comparison, the FTC says consumers filed 2.6 million fraud reports in 2024, with reported losses of over $12 billion.
Imposter scams were the most reported fraud. Investment scams were different: fewer reports, but the highest total losses. The testimony says about half of all reported fraud losses in 2025 came from investment scams.
What is an imposter scam?
The FTC’s definition: a scammer “lies and pretends to be someone they’re not” to get your money, access to your accounts or your personal information. Often they claim to be from a business you know or a government agency. The FTC lists examples such as fake Social Security or IRS calls, jury duty scams, fake tech support, package delivery scams and family emergency scams.
Do these numbers mean phone calls?
No, and this is the main thing to keep in mind. The 1 million reports include imposters who got in touch by any route. The FTC’s statement on contact methods is about two other channels: receiving a text message was the most commonly reported contact method in 2025, and social media was the top method by total losses (over $2 billion, a fiscal-year 2025 figure rather than a calendar-year one).
The FTC’s testimony gives no phone-only figure for imposter scams. We cannot tell you how many of those 1 million reports started with a call, and nobody should quote you a percentage from this source.
What do these numbers leave out?
- They are reports, not a census. The FTC says reported losses “are just a fraction” of what Americans actually lose, because not everyone who is scammed reports it. For 2024, it estimated that the true cost could be as high as $195.9 billion when underreporting is taken into account. That is a 2024 estimate, not a 2025 one.
- Not all reports come from consumers directly. The FTC’s database also takes in reports from nearly 180 data sources, including other government agencies and companies.
- Totals measure what was reported. The FTC material we read does not describe how each report is checked, so read the totals as counts of reports and reported losses.
What does the FTC tell people to do?
From the FTC’s imposter scam advice:
- Never send money, cryptocurrency or gold to someone you don’t know in response to an unexpected call or message.
- Don’t believe anyone who says you must quickly move your money to “protect” it.
- Don’t click links or call numbers in unexpected messages. Contact the organization using a phone number or website you know is real.
- If there’s a problem with your account or identity, talk about it with someone you trust.
The FTC adds that it will never threaten you, tell you to move your money to protect it, or tell you to withdraw cash or buy gold and give it to someone. To report an imposter, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
What can you do on a call?
Hang up, then check the story yourself. Our checklist for after you answered a scam call covers what to do if you already shared information or paid. The Do Not Call Registry will not stop these callers, because they ignore it.
Sources are the FTC pages linked above, read on 2026-10-08. Figures are the FTC’s own, as reported to Congress.
