FTC Data Spotlight Blog

False alarm, real scam: how scammers are stealing older adults’ life savings bjames@ftc.gov August 4, 2025 | 8:39AM False alarm, real scam: how scammers are stealing older adults’ life savings By Division of Consumer Response and Operations Staff Reports to the FTC show a growing wave of scams aimed squarely at retirees’ life savings. These scammers pretend to be from known and trusted government agencies and businesses. And, in an ironic twist, recent scams use fake security alerts and other false alarms to prey on older adults’ vigilance about protecting their money and identity to steal from them.[1] Some people 60+ have reported emptying their bank accounts and even clearing out their 401ks.While younger people report losing money to these imposters too, reports of losses in the tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars are much more likely to be filed by older adults,[2] and those numbers have soared. From 2020 to 2024, the number of reports from older adults who lost $10,000 or more to these scams increased more than fourfold.[3] When older adults reported losing more than $100,000, the trend was even more striking: during the same period, the number of reports increased nearly sevenfold, and the combined reported losses went up eightfold.These high-loss scams typically start with a (fake) story that gets your attention with one or a combination of these lies:Lie #1: Someone is using your accounts.   This lie might start with someone pretending to be your bank, flagging so-called suspicious activity, or pretending to be Amazon with a message about an unauthorized purchase;Lie #2: Your information is being used to commit crimes.   This lie may come from a supposed government officer or agent, warning that your Social Security number is linked to a crime like drug smuggling, money laundering, or even child pornography; orLie #3: There’s a security problem with your computer.   This lie often starts with a fake on-screen security alert that looks like it’s from Microsoft or Apple with a number to call. If you call, they say your online accounts have been hacked.These scammers say the only way out of the (fake) crisis is to follow their instructions – which will include sending money to the scammers. They may say this will keep your money safe, secure your identity, clear your name, or help catch the criminals. There may be layers of complexity to the story, but it’s all a lie aimed at draining your accounts. Reports show that when people think they are fixing a problem rather than sending a stranger money, their losses are often limited only by their available funds.Lots of scams are now carried out online, but these scams still depend on a phone call. Even when they don’t start with a call, reports show the goal is to get you on the phone.[4] A call is still the best way to dial up the fear and the urgency so it’s harder for you to think clearly and check things out. Keeping you on the phone is also designed to keep you from talking to anyone who could help – a friend or family member in a calmer state of mind who might see through the lies.In another layer of irony, these scammers often pretend to be the FTC, the nation’s consumer protection agency, sometimes impersonating real staff. Reports show these scammers have told people to transfer money out of their accounts, deposit cash into Bitcoin ATMs, and even hand off stacks of cash or gold to couriers[5] – all things the real FTC will never do. Scammers also pretend to be other businesses and agencies, including banks, Microsoft, and the Social Security Administration. Often, they tag team you: maybe starting with a pop-up security alert impersonating Microsoft and then transferring you to someone pretending to be from the FTC for “help” with a fake identity theft problem.  Image The security of your accounts, along with the risk of identity theft, are real concerns that real companies might call you about. So how can you stay vigilant and steer clear of these scams?Don’t move money to “protect it.”  Never transfer or send money to anyone, no matter who they say they are, in response to an unexpected call or message. Even if they say it’s to “protect it.”Hang up and verify.  Hang up the phone and call the company or agency directly using a phone number or website you know is real. Don’t trust what an unexpected caller says, and never use the phone number in a computer security pop-up or an unexpected text or email.Block unwanted calls.  Learn about your call blocking options to stop many of these scammers before they reach you.Learn more about imposter scams. To spot and avoid scams – and learn how to recover money if you paid a scammer – visit ftc.gov/scams. Report scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. [1] A 2023 Gallup poll asked Americans how much they worry about various types of crime. The results showed people most often worried about being a victim of identity theft. Being tricked by a scammer into sending money or providing access to a financial account was the second highest concern. See Gallup.com, Scams: Relatively Common and Anxiety-Inducing for Americans (November 2023).[2] In 2024, losses to business imposter and government imposter scams of $10,000 and over were more than twice as likely to be reported by older adults, with losses over $100,000 three times as likely to be reported by older adults. This comparison of older and younger consumers’ reporting rates is normalized based on the population size of each age group using the Census Bureau’s 2019-2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. This excludes reports that did not include consumer age information.[3] The total number of business imposter and government imposter reports filed by older adults with a loss of $10K or more are as follows: 1,790 (2020), 3,516 (2021), 5,559 (2022), 7,091 (2023), 8,269 (2024).[4] In 2024, 41% of older adults who reported losing $10K or more to a business or government imposter scam indicated a phone call was the initial contact method, 15% indicated the scam started with an online ad or pop-up, and 13% said it started with an email. Reports indicating online ad or pop-up as the contact method typically described pop-up security alerts impersonating Microsoft or Apple with a number to call.[5] In 2024, 33% of older adults who reported losing $10K or more to a business or government imposter scam indicated cryptocurrency was the method of payment, followed by bank transfer (20%), and cash (16%). Most reports that identified cryptocurrency as the payment method mentioned Bitcoin ATMs in the report narrative. Although gold is not a payment method consumers can select, in about 5% of reports with losses of $10K or more (and about 21% of reports with losses over $100K) gold was written in as the payment method and/or mentioned in the complaint narrative. Note that when losses exceeded $100,000, bank transfer was the most frequently reported method at 32% of reports.

Bitcoin ATMs: A payment portal for scammers bacree August 14, 2024 | 4:47PM Bitcoin ATMs: A payment portal for scammers By Emma Fletcher Bitcoin ATMs (or BTMs)[1] have been popping up at convenience stores, gas stations, and other high-traffic areas for years.[2] For some, they’re a convenient way to buy or send crypto, but for scammers they’ve become an easy way to steal. FTC Consumer Sentinel Network data show that fraud losses at BTMs are skyrocketing, increasing nearly tenfold from 2020 to 2023, and topping $65 million in just the first half of 2024.[3] Since the vast majority of frauds are not reported, this likely reflects only a fraction of the actual harm.[4]Cryptocurrency surged as a major payment method for scams in recent years, along with the massive growth in crypto payments on fake investment opportunities.[5] But now crypto is a top payment method for many other scams, too.[6] Widespread access to BTMs has helped make this possible. Reports of losses using BTMs are overwhelmingly about government impersonation, business impersonation, and tech support scams.[7] And when people used BTMs, their reported losses are exceptionally high. In the first six months of 2024, the median loss people reported was $10,000.[8] Image In the first half of the year, people 60 and over were more than three times as likely as younger adults to report a loss using a BTM.[9] In fact, more than two of every three dollars reported lost to fraud using these machines was lost by an older adult.[10]Scams that use BTMs work in lots of different ways. Many start with a call or message about supposed suspicious activity or unauthorized charges on an account.[11] Others get your attention with a fake security warning on your computer, often impersonating a company like Microsoft or Apple. These things are hard to ignore, and that’s the point. From there, the story quickly escalates. They might say all your money is at risk, or your information has been linked to money laundering or even drug smuggling. The scammer may get a fake government agent on the line – maybe even claiming to be from the “FTC” – to up the ante.So where do BTMs fit into the story? Scammers claim that depositing cash into these machines will protect your money or fix the fake problem they’ve concocted. They’ve even called BTMs “safety lockers.” They direct you to go to your bank to take out cash. Next, they send you to a nearby BTM location – often a specific one – to deposit the cash you just took out of your bank account.[12] They text you a QR code to scan at the machine, and once you do, the cash you deposit goes right into the scammer’s wallet.So how can you spot and steer clear of these scams?Never click on links or respond directly to unexpected calls, messages, or computer pop-ups. If you think it could be legit, contact the company or agency, but look up their number or website yourself. Don’t use the one the caller or message gave you.Slow down. Scammers want to rush you, so stop and check it out. Before you do anything else, talk with someone you trust.Never withdraw cash in response to an unexpected call or message. Only scammers will tell you to do that.Don’t believe anyone who says you need to use a Bitcoin ATM, buy gift cards, or move money to protect it or fix a problem. Real businesses and government agencies will never do that – and anyone who asks is a scammer.To spot and avoid scams visit ftc.gov/scams. Report scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.[1] While machines that allow consumers to buy cryptocurrency are commonly referred to as Bitcoin ATMs or BTMs, these machines often handle – and scams can take place in – other cryptocurrencies in addition to Bitcoin.[2] BTM installations self-reported by operators to an industry website increased from about 4,250 in January 2020 to about 32,000 in June 2024. See trend chart available at https://coinatmradar.com/charts/growth/united-states/[3] These and other figures throughout this Spotlight are estimates based on keyword analysis of the narratives provided in reports that identified cryptocurrency as the payment method. Not all reports identify a payment method or include sufficient details in the report narrative to determine whether a BTM was used.[4] See Anderson, K. B., To Whom Do Victims of Mass-Market Consumer Fraud Complain? at 1 (May 2021), available at https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3852323(study showed only 4.8% of people who experienced mass-market consumer fraud complained to a Better Business Bureau or a government entity).[5] See FTC Consumer Protection Data Spotlight, Reports Show Scammers Cashing in on Crypto Craze (June 3, 2022), available at https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spotlight/2022/06/reports-show-scammerscashing-crypto-craze.[6] In the first half of 2024, cryptocurrency was the top payment method in terms of aggregate reported losses on tech support scams and job scams, and the second most costly method after bank transfers on business impersonation scams, government impersonation scams, romance scams, and family and friend impersonation scams.[7] In the first half of 2024, about 86% of people who reported a fraud loss using a BTM indicated that it was on a government impersonation, business impersonation, and/or tech support scam. This excludes reports categorized as unspecified.[8] In the first half of 2024, the median individual reported fraud loss when cryptocurrency was the reported payment method (including reports with and without BTM use) was $5,400; the median individual reported loss to fraud generally was $447.[9] This comparison of older and younger consumers’ reporting rates is normalized based on the population size of each age group using the Census Bureau’s 2018-2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. This excludes reports that did not include consumer age information.[10] In the first half of 2024, people 60 and over reported losing $46 million using BTMs, or about 71% of the reported losses using these machines. During the same period, when a reported cryptocurrency fraud loss did not involve the use of a BTM, about 72% of the losses were reported by people 18 to 59. Most of these losses were to fake cryptocurrency investment opportunities. Percentage calculations exclude reports that did not include consumer age information.[11] Phone calls were the initial contact method in about 47% of these reports, followed by online ads or pop-ups (16%), and e-mails (9%). Reports indicating online ad or pop-up as the contact method typically described fake computer security alerts. People reported that security pop-ups and email messages included a phone number to call for help.[12] Reports show that scammers direct people to specific BTM locations and many consumers name the BTM operator in their reports. These details show a pattern that suggests scammers prefer some operators over others and that these preferences have changed over time. While the reports do not tell us why this might be, differences in fraud prevention measures taken by various operators likely play a role.

Social media: a golden goose for scammers bjames@ftc.gov October 6, 2023 | 9:30AM Social media: a golden goose for scammers By Emma Fletcher Scammers are hiding in plain sight on social media platforms and reports to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network point to huge profits. One in four people who reported losing money to fraud since 2021 said it started on social media.[1] Reported losses to scams on social media during the same period hit a staggering $2.7 billion, far higher than any other method of contact. And because the vast majority of frauds are not reported, this figure reflects just a small fraction of the public harm.[2] Social media gives scammers an edge in several ways. They can easily manufacture a fake persona, or hack into your profile, pretend to be you, and con your friends. They can learn to tailor their approach from what you share on social media. And scammers who place ads can even use tools available to advertisers to methodically target you based on personal details, such as your age, interests, or past purchases. All of this costs them next to nothing to reach billions of people from anywhere in the world. Reports show that scams on social media are a problem for people of all ages, but the numbers are most striking for younger people. In the first six months of 2023, in reports of money lost to fraud by people 20-29, social media was the contact method more than 38% of the time.  For people 18-19, that figure was 47%.[3] The numbers decrease with age, consistent with generational differences in social media use.[4] Image The most frequently reported fraud loss in the first half of 2023 was from people who tried to buy something marketed on social media, coming in at a whopping 44% of all social media fraud loss reports. Most of these reports are about undelivered goods, with no-show clothing and electronics topping the list.[5]According to reports, these scams most often start with an ad on Facebook or Instagram.[6]   Image While online shopping scams have the highest number of reports, the largest share of dollar losses are to scams that use social media to promote fake investment opportunities.[7] In the first six months of 2023, more than half the money reported lost to fraud on social media went to investment scammers. To draw people in, these scammers promote their own supposed investment success, often trying  to lure people to investment websites and apps that turn out to be bogus. They make promises of huge returns, and even make it look like an “investment” is growing. But if people invest, and reports say it’s usually in cryptocurrency,[8] they end up empty handed. After investment scams, reports point to romance scams as having the second highest losses on social media. In the first six months of 2023, half of people who said they lost money to an online romance scam said it began on Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat.[9] These scams often start with a seemingly innocent friend request from a stranger followed by love bombing and the inevitable request for money.  Here are some ways to steer clear of scams on social media: Limit who can see your posts and information on social media. All platforms collect information about you from your activities on social media, but visit your privacy settings to set some restrictions. If you get a message from a friend about an opportunity or an urgent need for money, call them. Their account may have been hacked—especially if they ask you to pay by cryptocurrency, gift card, or wire transfer. That’s how scammers ask you to pay. If someone appears on your social media and rushes you to start a friendship or romance, slow down. Read about romance scams. And never send money to someone you haven’t met in person. Before you buy, check out the company. Search online for its name plus “scam” or “complaint.” To learn more about how to spot, avoid, and report scams—and how to recover money if you’ve paid a scammer—visit ftc.gov/scams. If you spot a scam, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. [1] This figure excludes reports that did not specify a contact method. Including reports directly to the FTC and reports provided by Sentinel data contributors, 257,945 reports about money lost to fraud originating on social media were filed from January 2021 through June 2023. [2] See Anderson, K. B., To Whom Do Victims of Mass-Market Consumer Fraud Complain? at 1 (May 2021), available at https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3852323 (study showed only 4.8% of people who experienced mass-market consumer fraud complained to a Better Business Bureau or a government entity). [3] These figures exclude reports that did not specify a contact method and reports that did not include age information. [4] See Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2021 (April 2021), available at https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/04/07/social-media-use-in-2021/ (study showed people ages 18-29 reported the highest social media use at 84%, followed by ages 30-49 at 81%, ages 50-64 at 73% and 65 and over at 45%). In the first 6 months of 2023, the share of loss reports indicating social media as the contact method by age was as follows: 47% (18-19), 38% (20-29), 32% (30-39), 28% (40-49), 26% (50-59), 21% (60-69), 15% (70-79), 9% (80 and over). Social media was the top contact method ranked by fraud loss reports for all age groups under age 70, while phone call was the top contact method for the 70-79 and 80 and over age groups. [5] The top undelivered items were identified by hand-coding a random sample of 400 reports that contained a narrative description identifying the items ordered. [6] In the first 6 months of 2023, people reported undelivered merchandise in 61% of loss reports about online shopping fraud originating on social media. Facebook was identified as the social media platform in 60% of these reports, and Instagram was identified in 24%. This excludes reports that did not identify a platform. [7] The top platforms identified in these reports were Instagram (30%), Facebook (26%), WhatsApp (13%), and Telegram (9%). Reports that did not indicate a platform are excluded from these calculations. [8] In the first 6 months of 2023, cryptocurrency was identified as the payment method in 53% of investment-related fraud reports that indicated social media as the method of contact. This excludes reports that did not specify a payment method. [9] Facebook and Instagram were each identified in 21% of these reports, followed by Snapchat at 8%. This excludes reports that did not specify the platform, website, or app.

Reports of romance scams hit record highs in 2021 bacree February 8, 2022 | 5:20PM Reports of romance scams hit record highs in 2021 By Emma Fletcher Online dating can be a great way to find lasting love – or even your next fling. But reports to the FTC suggest it also creates opportunities for scammers. In the past five years, people have reported losing a staggering $1.3 billion to romance scams,[1][2] more than any other FTC fraud category. The numbers have skyrocketed in recent years, and 2021 was no exception – reported losses hit a record $547 million for the year. That’s more than six times the reported losses in 2017 and a nearly 80% increase compared to 2020. The median individual reported loss in 2021 was $2,400.[3] Image Reports show that romance scammers are masters of disguise. They create fake online profiles with attractive photos swiped from the web. Sometimes they even assume the identities of real people. They may study information people share online and then pretend to have common interests. And the details they share about themselves will always include built-in excuses for not meeting in person. For example, many reportedly claim to be serving overseas in the military or working on an offshore oil rig. Many people who’ve experienced scams report being contacted on dating apps. But you don’t have to be looking for love to be courted by a romance scammer. Reports of unexpected private messages on social media platforms are common. More than a third of people who said they lost money to an online romance scam in 2021 said it began on Facebook or Instagram.[4] Romance scammers weave all sorts of believable stories to con people, but their old standby involves pleas for help while claiming one financial or health crisis after another. The scammers’ stories might involve a sick child or a temporary inability to get to their money for a whole range of reasons. People who lost money to a romance scammer often report sending money repeatedly: they believe they’re helping someone they care about. But it’s all a lie. In another common twist on the romance scam, people agree to help transfer money as a favor to their supposed sweetheart. The scammer often claims to need help getting their inheritance money or moving funds for an important business deal. Stories like this often set people up to become “money mules” – they may think they’re just helping, but they’re really laundering stolen funds. These stories are also used to trick people into sending their own money. People have reported paying all sorts of bogus fees to accept money that never turns up. Others say they deposited a check from their sweetie and sent some of the money as instructed, only to find out later that the check was fake – leaving them without the money they sent. Still others report sending money based on promises – later proven to be false – that they would be repaid. A growing trend in 2021 was scammers using romance as a hook to lure people into bogus investments, especially cryptocurrency. People are led to believe their new online companion is a successful investor who, before long, casually offers investment advice. These so-called investment opportunities often involve foreign exchange (forex) trading or cryptocurrency. And when people follow this investment “advice,” they wind up losing all the money they “invest.” In fact, the largest reported losses to romance scams were paid in cryptocurrency: $139 million last year alone.[5] That’s a remarkable growth in cryptocurrency payments to romance scammers: 2021 numbers are nearly five times those reported in 2020, and more than 25 times those reported in 2019. In 2021, the median individual reported loss using cryptocurrency was a staggering $9,770. While cryptocurrency losses were the most costly, it was not the most common payment method for romance scams. In 2021, more people reported paying romance scammers with gift cards than with any other payment method. In fact, about one in four people said they paid a romance scammer with a gift card, and they reported losing $36 million last year.[6] Reports about romance scams increased for every age group in 2021. The increase was most striking for people ages 18 to 29. For this age group, the number of reports increased more than tenfold from 2017 to 2021. But the reported median loss increased with age: people 70 and older reported the highest individual median losses at $9,000, compared to $750 for the 18 to 29 age group.[7] So how can you spot scammers if you’re looking for love online? Nobody legit will ever ask you to help by sending cryptocurrency, giving the numbers on a gift card, or by wiring money. Anyone who does is a scammer. Never send or forward money for someone you haven’t met in person, and don’t act on their investment advice.  Talk to friends or family about a new love interest and pay attention if they’re concerned. Try a reverse-image search of profile pictures. If the details don’t match up, it’s a scam. Help stop scammers by reporting suspicious profiles or messages to the dating app or social media platform. Then, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Learn more at ftc.gov/romancescams. [1] This figure and figures throughout this Spotlight are based on reports to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network that were classified as romance scams, excluding reports provided by the Internet Crimes Complaint Center (IC3). IC3 reports submitted prior to 2019 are not included in Sentinel, so these reports were excluded to ensure greater consistency in reporting trends over time. [2] Because the vast majority of frauds are not reported to the government, this figure reflects just a small fraction of the public harm caused by romance scams. See Anderson, K. B., To Whom Do Victims of Mass-Market Consumer Fraud Complain? at 1 (May 2021), available at https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3852323 (study showed only 4.8% of people who experienced mass-market consumer fraud complained to a Better Business Bureau or a government entity). [3] Reports provided by MoneyGram and Western Union are excluded for this calculation as these data contributors report each transaction separately, which typically affects calculation of an individual’s median loss. [4] This figure is based on 2021 loss reports directly to the FTC categorized as romance scams and where the consumer identified an online platform. Of these, the top platforms identified as the starting point for the scam were Facebook (23%) and Instagram (13%). [5] Ranked by reported dollar losses the top payment methods on romance scams reported in 2021 are as follows: cryptocurrency ($139M), bank transfer or payment ($121M), wire transfer ($93M), and gift card or reload card ($36M). [6] About 28% of people who reported losing money on a romance scam in 2021 said they paid with a gift card or reload card, followed by cryptocurrency (18%), payment app or service (14%), bank transfer or payment (13%), and wire transfer (12%). These figures exclude MoneyGram and Western Union as these data contributors report each transaction separately, which affects the number of reports.   [7] In 2021, the median individual reported losses to romance scams by age were as follows: $750 (18-29), $2,000 (30-39), $3,000 (40-49), $4,000 (50-59), $6,000 (60-69), and $9,000 (70 and over). Reports provided by MoneyGram and Western Union are excluded for these calculations as these data contributors report each transaction separately, which typically affects calculation of an individual’s median loss. About 70% (38,886 reports) of 2021 romance scam reports included age information.

Amazon tops list of impersonated businesses jwolf October 20, 2021 | 9:55AM Amazon tops list of impersonated businesses By Emma Fletcher Scammers impersonate all sorts of businesses, but reports to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel point to Amazon as a runaway favorite for scammers. From July 2020 through June 2021, about one in three people who reported a business impersonator said the scammer claimed to be Amazon. Reports about Amazon impersonators increased more than fivefold during this period.1 About 96,000 people reported being targeted, and nearly 6,000 said they lost money. Reported losses totaled more than $27 million. The reported median individual loss: $1,000. These impersonators get your attention with messages to call about suspicious activity or unauthorized purchases on your Amazon account. When you call the number, a phony Amazon representative tricks you into giving them remote access to your computer or phone to supposedly fix the problem and give you a refund. But then—whoops—a couple of extra zeros are keyed in and too much money is (supposedly) refunded. They tell you to return the difference. In fact, some people have reported that the “representative” even begged for help, saying Amazon would fire them if the money wasn’t returned. To make their lies about refunding that so-called overpayment more believable, scammers have reportedly accessed people’s online banking. They move money from one account to another—say, from savings to checking. Then, when people see a large deposit in their checking account, they think it’s the refund, but it’s all fake. If they send money, as requested, they end up sending their own (very real) money. In another twist, scammers tell people to buy gift cards and send pictures of the numbers on the back. The scammers may call these numbers “blocking codes” or “security codes,” and explain that sharing them can block the hackers who—supposedly—took over the Amazon account in question. But the only thing those numbers are good for is getting (or stealing) the money on the card. After people send pictures of the gift cards, they often report getting texts confirming a supposed account credit in the amount of each gift card purchase. That’s just another trick scammers use to get their targets to buy more cards. Another common hook are text messages that say you’ve won a raffle for a free product from Amazon. People who click the link to claim their free prize then have to enter credit card information to pay for “shipping.” Before long, they see charges they never agreed to. Most people who report these scams say the scammer contacted them.2 But some people have reported finding bogus phone numbers when searching online for the number to call Amazon about a real issue. Of course, the scammers who answer calls to those phone numbers are happy to “help.” The data suggest that Amazon impersonation scams may be disproportionately harming older adults. Over the past year, people ages 60 and up were over four times more likely than younger people to report losing money to an Amazon impersonator.3 Older adults also reported losing more money—their median reported loss was $1,500, compared to $814 for people under age 60. After Amazon, Apple is the second most frequently reported company, but it’s a distant second. Apple impersonators reportedly tell people their iCloud account has been compromised or that they’ve been chosen to get a free iPad. Sound familiar? Scammers change names but often use the same lies again and again.4 Here are ways to avoid some common tricks business impersonators use: Never call phone numbers given in unexpected calls, texts, emails, or messages on social media. And don’t click any links. Those are scams. If you’re worried, check it out. Go directly to the company’s website to find out how to reach them. Don’t trust the phone numbers or links that come up in search results. Never give anyone remote access to your devices unless you contacted the company first (using its real number). If someone tells you to give remote access to get a refund, it’s a scam. Never pay by gift card. Nobody legit will ever require you to. And never send pictures of gift cards. If someone tells you they need the numbers on the back of a gift card, it’s a scam. Talk about it. If you’re getting these messages, so are people you know. Help them avoid the scam by sharing what you know. To learn more about how to spot, avoid, and report scams—and how to recover money if you’ve paid a scammer—visit ftc.gov/scams. If you spot a scam, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.     1 Amazon impersonator scam reports increased from 1,794 reports in July 2020 to 9,796 in June 2021. Amazon impersonator scams are defined here and throughout this Spotlight as reports from all sources to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network that are categorized as business imposter scams and name Amazon as the impersonated company. 2 About 70% of Amazon impersonator scams reported from July 2020 through June 2021 identified a phone call as the method of contact, followed by text (15%), and email (8%). These percentages exclude reports that did not specify a method of contact. 3 This age comparison is normalized based on the number of loss reports per million population by age during this period. Reports from consumers under age 18 are excluded. Population numbers were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Selected Age Groups by Sex for the United States (June 2020). 4 Prior to the increase in reports of Amazon impersonators, Social Security Administration impersonation scams were the most frequently reported imposter scam. From July 2020 through June 2021, reports about Social Security Administration impersonators totaled 80,797. The number of reports about Social Security Administration impersonators declined from 7,441 in July 2020 to 4,166 in June 2021. For more information, see the April 2019 Consumer Protection Data Spotlight, “Growing Wave of Social Security imposters Overtakes IRS Scam,” located at ftc.gov/spotlight.

Gift cards top scammers’ wish lists bcooper1 December 21, 2020 | 10:34AM Gift cards top scammers’ wish lists By Emma Fletcher Gift cards make great holiday gifts. But reports to FTC show that scammers like getting them, too. Scammers don’t ask nicely, though. They use trickery to insist on gift cards, and they ask for specific brands. Scammers prefer gift cards because they can get quick cash while staying anonymous. In fact, giving a scammer the PIN numbers off the back of a gift card is the number one way people report losing money on many of the top frauds reported to the FTC. About one in four people who tell the FTC they lost money to fraud say they paid with a gift card.1 In fact, gift cards have topped the list of reported fraud payment methods every year since 2018. During that time, people reported losing a total of nearly $245 million, with a median individual loss of $840.2 Based on reports, certain types of scams seem to favor gift cards as a form of payment. Nearly half of people who reported paying someone posing as a government authority said they paid with a gift card. Nearly 45% of those who reported losing money to someone pretending to be a friend or a family member paid with gift cards. And gift cards were the reported payment method in about a third of tech support and other business impersonation scams.3 Scammers always have some reason why you need to buy gift cards. They might say you’re in serious trouble with the government and must buy “electronic vouchers” to avoid arrest. Some people say scammers posing as businesses promised special promotional pricing for phone or TV service if they paid for the first three months with a gift card. Others thought they were buying gift cards to evaluate a retailer as a “secret shopper.” Scammers tell people to go to specific stores like Walmart, Target, CVS, and Walgreens to buy the cards. Some people have reported that alert store employees have intervened, but scammers work hard to stop that from happening. They keep people on the phone and tell them not to talk to anyone about why they’re buying the cards. They even tell people what to say if anyone asks questions. The top gift card brands that scammers demand change over time. Reports to the FTC suggest that eBay is now the gift card of choice for scammers. It replaces Google Play in the decidedly un-coveted top spot, which earlier replaced iTunes as the top card brand people reported.4 But reports of fraud payments with both these brands declined significantly in 2019, and the brand reported most often in 2020 is eBay. Notably, reports suggest scammers have diversified, and now frequently request a variety of other gift cards in addition to these top brands.5 Whenever someone demands to be paid with a gift card, that’s a scam. Gift cards are for gifts, not for payment. If you paid someone with a gift card by giving them the numbers on the card, keep the card and your receipt, and report it to the card issuer immediately. You’ll find contact information for some major gift cards at ftc.gov/giftcards. Then report your experience to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. To learn more about spotting and avoiding gift card scams, visit ftc.gov/giftcards. If you’re a retailer, or state or local law enforcement, and you’re interested in helping people avoid gift card scams, visit ftc.gov/StopGiftCardScams to download, print, and share materials in your store and community. 1 This figure is based on reports from January 2018 through September 2020, exluding reports that do not specify a payment method. Figures pertaining to gift card reports throughout this Spotlight are based on the total number of fraud reports that identify a gift or reload card (e.g., MoneyPak) as a method of payment. This analysis excludes fraud reports classified as “online shopping” because of the legitimate use of gift cards among large retailers. To eliminate inconsistencies between data sources, reports provided by Sentinel data contributors and reports that do not specify a method of payment are also excluded from this analysis. 2 These figures are based on gift card reports from January 2018 through September 2020 that indicate a dollar loss of $1 to $999,999. 3 Tech support scams typically involve the impersonation of computer companies like Microsoft, and start with a call or popup warning about a computer virus or other technical issue. Consumers affected by tech support scams pay for “repair” of a nonexistent problem. 4 Card brands are identified through keyword analysis of the narratives provided in gift card reports. 5 In 2020 through Q3, the most reported gift and reload card brands mentioned in fraud reports are eBay, Google Play, Target, iTunes, and Amazon. Together, these five brands make up approximately 39% of the reports where people indicated they paid a scammer with a gift or reload card. Reports provided by data contributors or that are classified as “online shopping” are excluded. Card brands are identified through keyword analysis of the narratives provided in this subset of reports.

Pandemic purchases lead to record reports of unreceived goods jwolf July 1, 2020 | 10:00AM Pandemic purchases lead to record reports of unreceived goods By Emma Fletcher Online shopping has been a lifeline for many people hunkering down to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. But as online orders have increased, so too have reports to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network about sellers failing to deliver on promises — or just failing to deliver, period. During April and May of 2020, more people reported problems with online shopping than in any other months on record. More than half said they never got the items they ordered.1 With COVID-19, scammers quickly launched opportunistic websites. People reported online shops claiming to sell the things they desperately needed but could not get. By the week of April 5, reports of unreceived merchandise were almost on par with previous peak numbers from the December 2019 holiday shopping season.2 In the following weeks, as people scoured the internet for scarce items, reports of unreceived orders continued to climb. Reports in May were nearly double the December 2019 numbers.3 Of course, many sellers have had legitimate supply chain problems, but these reports are about no-show orders, not just shipping delays. People reported unreceived orders of facemasks in April and May far more often than any other item, and undelivered sanitizer, toilet paper, thermometers, and gloves were also reported.4 But that’s not the whole story. Reports show that scammers shirked their promises to shoppers on everything from clothes to electronics – and even puppies, which people had bought online. Scammers often used pandemic-related pretexts for supposed shipping delays, sometimes – in the puppy scam – even charging extra fees for COVID-related “regulations.” Then they just stopped responding. This stalled people who might otherwise have posted negative reviews. Reports show that scammers have honed their ability to put up remarkably polished looking websites in recent years. They’ve learned to work social media and online advertising to their advantage, and to peel off negative reviews by simply disappearing and popping back up under a new name. This is a global problem, since the web gives scammers cheap access to consumers worldwide.5 While pandemic purchases have fueled record numbers, reports about online shopping were common even before the pandemic. People reported losing nearly $420 million dollars since 2015,6 and the numbers have been on the rise for years. The FTC took in more than 86,000 online shopping reports in 2019, which is a 38% increase over 2018, and the largest annual increase in recent years.7 Most troubling is the rise in the number of people who report that they simply did not get the items they ordered. That number increased more than fourfold from 2015 to 2019.8 There is some good news. Credit cards are the top way people reported paying for their online shopping, including unreceived orders. What’s good about this is that people can dispute credit card charges if they don’t get what they paid for. Here are some tips to avoid being left empty-handed when you shop online: Check out the company by typing its name in a search engine with words like or “scam” or “complaint.” Confirm the seller’s physical address and phone number. Watch out for unfamiliar sites selling products that are in short supply or name brand goods at steep discounts. Pay with a credit card, and contact your credit card company to dispute the charges if a seller doesn’t deliver your goods or they are not as promised. To learn more about Coronavirus-related scams, visit ftc.gov/coronavirus/scams. For more about online shopping, including how to dispute credit card charges, go to ftc.gov/onlineshopping. And if you spot a scam, report it to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint. 1 This monthly comparison is based on online shopping reports directly to the FTC from January 2015 through May 2020. Consumers submitted 15,492 such reports in April 2020 with 7,545 indicating that items were not received, and 18,946 such reports in May 2020 with 10,827 indicating that items were not received. 2 This comparison is based on 1,519 online shopping reports about unreceived merchandise directly to the FTC the week of December 15, 2019 and 1,486 such reports the week of April 5, 2020. 3 This comparison is based on 5,487 online shopping reports about unreceived merchandise directly to the FTC in December 2019 and 10,827 such reports in May 2020. 4 This finding is based on keyword analysis of the narratives provided in online shopping reports directly to the FTC in April and May of 2020 indicating that items were not received. Of the 18,370 such reports, 1,328 mentioned facemasks. 5 Online shopping is the top category reported to econsumer.gov, a partnership of more than 35 consumer protection agencies around the world. Many of these reports are from consumers located outside the United States. Consumers filed 56,040 online reports with eConsumer from January 2015 through May 2020. 6 This figure is based on online shopping reports directly to the FTC from January 2015 through May 2020. 7 This increase is calculated based on 86,472 and 62,606 online shopping reports directly to the FTC in 2019 and 2018 respectively. In earlier years, 34,249 (2015), 40,319 (2016), and 53,373 (2017) such reports were made. 8 This increase is calculated based on 9,435 and 38,701 online shopping reports directly to the FTC in 2015 and 2019 respectively indicating items were not received. In the intervening years 12,080 (2016), 18,852 (2017), and 26,710 (2018) such reports were made.

Government imposter scams top the list of reported frauds jwolf July 1, 2019 | 1:30PM Government imposter scams top the list of reported frauds By Emma Fletcher Pretending to be someone people trust is what scammers do. They may claim to be a well-known company or a beloved family member, but data from the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network suggest that pretending to be the government may be scammers’ favorite ruse. Since 2014, the FTC has gotten nearly 1.3 million reports about government imposters. That’s far more than any other type of fraud reported in the same timeframe. This spring, monthly reports of government imposter scams reached the highest levels we have on record.1 The vast majority of people who report this type of scam say it started with a phone call,2 and these callers have their mind games down pat. Government impersonators can create a sense of urgent fear, telling you to send money right away or provide your social security number to avoid arrest or some other trouble. Or they can play the good guy, promising to help you get some free benefit like a grant or prize, or even a back brace. Scammers like to make the situation so immediate that you can’t stop to check it out. These scams can be extremely lucrative. Reported losses to government imposter scams add up to more than $450 million since 2014. Only 6% of people who report government imposters say they lost money.3 But when people do lose money, it’s a lot: the median individual reported loss is $960.4 People ages 20 to 59 report losing money to these scams at higher rates than people 60 and over, but median individual reported losses increase with age. People 80 and over report a median loss of $2,700.5 Gift cards are now the payment method of choice for these scammers. Most people who tell us they lost money to a government imposter say they gave the scammer the PIN number on the back of gift cards like Google Play or iTunes cards.6 Wire transfers come in a distant second to gift cards as a payment method. But with both methods, the scammer gets quick cash while staying anonymous, and the money is simply gone. The top government imposters reported so far in 2019 have both familiar and new faces. The FTC reported recently about the dramatic surge in Social Security imposters, but IRS imposters are still hanging on in the top five. Scammers use “bureau” or “administration” in their name to make their government grant offers sound official, and use generic names like “sheriff’s office” to suggest a hefty law enforcement presence. Government imposters will adapt quickly to find new ways to get your money. Lots of government agencies have been impersonated, including the FTC. The scammer’s pitch is even more convincing when they fake the number on your caller ID so it shows the name or phone number of a real government agency. It’s illegal to fake the number on caller ID, but scammers know it helps convince people that the caller really is with the government. So what can you do to protect yourself against imposters when their stories keep changing? Be suspicious of any call from a government agency asking for money or information. Government agencies don’t call you with threats, or promises of – or demands for – money. Scammers do. Don’t trust caller ID – it can be faked. Even if it might look like a real call, don’t trust it. Never pay with a gift card or wire transfer. If someone tells you to pay this way, it’s a scam. Check with the real agency. Look up their number. Call them to find out if they’re trying to reach you – and why. Report government imposter scams to the FTC at FTC.gov/complaint. To learn more, visit ftc.gov/imposters. Want to explore the data? Visit the new interactive infographic on government imposters. 1 People reported about 41,400, 39,600, and 46,600 government imposter scams to Sentinel in March, April, and May 2019 respectively. Prior to March 2019, the highest monthly reporting levels for government imposter scams on record were in September 2016 with about 38,400 reports filed. 2 From January 2018 through May 2019, 96% of people who reported a government imposter scam and specified a contact method said they were contacted by telephone. 3 Figure based on reports to Sentinel from January 2018 through May 2019 that were classified as government imposter scams. 4 Median loss calculations are based on government imposter reports submitted to Sentinel from January 2018 through May 2019 that indicated a monetary loss ($1 – $999,999). 5 Age comparison and median loss figure based on government imposter reports in from January 2014 through May 2019 that indicated a monetary loss. People who said they were 20 – 59 filed loss reports at a rate of 269 reports per million people in this age group, while people who said they were 60 and over filed 211 loss reports per million people in this age group. Population numbers obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Selected Age Groups by Sex for the United States, States, Counties and Puerto Rico Commonwealth and Municipios (June 2018). Not all reports include usable age information. 6 Gift\reload cards were identified as the payment method for 58% of government imposter reports to Sentinel from January 2018 through May 2019 that indicated a payment method. Wire transfers were identified as the payment method for 13% of these reports.