{"id":1907342,"date":"2026-04-28T15:28:46","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T12:28:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1907342"},"modified":"2026-04-28T15:28:46","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T12:28:46","slug":"the-ftc-says-americans-lost-at-least-2-1-billion-to-social-media-scams-in-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1907342","title":{"rendered":"The FTC says Americans lost at least $2.1 billion to social media scams in 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/GIy612HHYTJt_Iw7lrCn3g&#8211;\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD04MDA-\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/2026-04\/b7514cdb-67f5-4e8e-9edf-65e27030201d&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"article-a6363dec-3668-4bba-86b2-50ccc9cb2764\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"mx-auto md:px-10 md:max-w-[1220px]\">\n<nav class=\"prestige-breadcrumb relative mx-4 md:mx-0\" aria-label=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<ol class=\"no-scrollbar overflow-scroll whitespace-nowrap text-battleship\">\n<li class=\"inline\">\n<li class=\"inline-block cursor-default last:pr-10 md:last:pr-20 font-bold\">Social media<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<header class=\"mb-4 px-4 md:mb-6 md:px-0\">\n<h1 class=\"layout-h1 my-2 font-bold leading-tight\">The FTC says Americans lost at least $2.1 billion to social media scams in 2025<\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"my-2 text-[18px] font-light leading-5 md:max-w-[660px] md:text-[20px]\/[28px]\">Cryptocurrency and AI scams hit Americans hard last year too.<\/h2>\n<div class=\"flex-col items-start lg:flex lg:flex-row lg:items-center lg:justify-between mt-6\">\n<div class=\"relative md:mr-[10px]\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n<div class=\"flex mr-2\">\n<div class=\"shrink-0 cursor-pointer inline-block size-[42px] lg:size-[48px]\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt role=\"img\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full rounded-full object-cover object-center shadow-[0_0_0_2px_#ffffff]\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/KAmpaC2kDwlaab0GSBqF_A--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTgwO2g9ODA-\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2023-12\/22e56d00-a0e5-11ee-9d5f-464f2df9bf13\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"inline-block\">\n<div class=\"w-max text-sm\/5 font-semibold lg:!flex flex items-center\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col\">\n<div class=\"flex w-max items-center\">Kris Holt<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"font-normal sm:before:inline-block\">Contributing Reporter<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"lg:hidden\">\n<div class=\"text-xs text-dolphin dark:text-shark md:text-sm\/5 pt-4\">\n<div class=\"inline-block\"><time datetime=\"2026-04-28T15:28:46.000Z\">Tue, April 28, 2026 at 3:28 PM UTC<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ml-0 mt-4 flex items-center lg:ml-3 lg:mt-0\">\n<div class=\"ml-0 mr-2\">\n<div class=\"relative flex\">Add Engadget on Google<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden lg:block\">\n<div class=\"text-xs text-dolphin dark:text-shark md:text-sm\/5 pt-4\">\n<div class=\"inline-block\"><time datetime=\"2026-04-28T15:28:46.000Z\">Tue, April 28, 2026 at 3:28 PM UTC<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-x-8 lg:gap-x-0 mx-auto md:px-10 md:max-w-[1220px] md:grid-cols-[[main-start]_1fr_[main-end_right-start]_min-content_[right-end]] lg:!gap-x-8\">\n<div class=\"md:col-main\" data-i13n-boundary=\"true\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-[[fullbleed-start_body-start]_minmax(auto,750px)_[body-end_fullbleed-end]]\">\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative overflow-hidden fig-image-round left-1\/2 w-screen -translate-x-1\/2 md:left-0 md:w-auto md:translate-x-0\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt class=\"object-cover object-center\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/mu0x7YBSiT.po65lsz3QWA--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/uu\/api\/res\/1.2\/nks5amkKn8z7Q3cvtIlgIQ--~B\/aD00MDAwO3c9NjAwMDthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/2026-04\/b7514cdb-67f5-4e8e-9edf-65e27030201d\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span>Thana Prasongsin via Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:grid-cols-article lg:max-w-[750px] drop-cap\" data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Americans lost at least $2.1 billion in 2025 to scams that originated on social media, according to the Federal Trade Commission. That figure marks an eightfold increase since 2020.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">The FTC said Americans reported losing $1.1 billion last year to investment scams that started on social media. These often began with a post or ad offering a program that claimed to help people learn how to invest. More than 40 percent of Americans who lost money through a social media scam last year blamed shopping-related ads, many of which took them to &#8220;unfamiliar websites,&#8221; the FTC said. The agency also highlighted the problem of romance scams that start on social media.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Most of these scams started on Facebook, with WhatsApp and Instagram in &#8220;a distant second and third,&#8221; the FTC noted. A lawsuit filed against Meta, which owns all three platforms, last week claimed that it misled users about scam ads. In 2025, it was reported that Meta was making billions of dollars from ads promoting scams and illegal products.<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_kh9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-body mb-4 hidden pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:block\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_14h9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Of course, other types of internet scams are snaring regular folks. The FBI said earlier this month that Americans reported losing nearly $21 billion to internet-related crimes in 2025, more than half of which was to cryptocurrency scams. Artificial intelligence scams cost Americans around $893 million last year, the FBI said. And that&#8217;s just what people have reported losing \u2014 many victims won&#8217;t file complaints to the FBI or FTC.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">The FTC offers some advice on how to protect yourself from social media scams, such as limiting the reach of your posts so scammers have less specific information to work with and to avoid letting &#8220;someone you have met only on social media direct your investment decisions.&#8221; The agency also suggests searching for a company&#8217;s name along with &#8220;scam&#8221; or &#8220;complaint&#8221; before buying anything.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">As always, tread cautiously, do your own research and if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be careful out there, folks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"md:col-main grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:grid-cols-article lg:max-w-[750px]\">\n<div class=\"no-scrollbar col-body mx-4 mb-8 mt-2.5 overflow-x-scroll whitespace-nowrap md:mx-0 md:max-w-[750px] md:overflow-x-visible md:hidden\">\n<div class=\"mx-auto max-w-screen-sm\">\n<ul class=\"inline-flex text-xs md:text-sm\">\n<li class=\"mr-6\">About our ads<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:grid-cols-article lg:max-w-[750px] drop-cap\" data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Americans lost at least $2.1 billion in 2025 to scams that originated on social media, according to the Federal Trade Commission. That figure marks an eightfold increase since 2020.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">The FTC said Americans reported losing $1.1 billion last year to investment scams that started on social media. These often began with a post or ad offering a program that claimed to help people learn how to invest. More than 40 percent of Americans who lost money through a social media scam last year blamed shopping-related ads, many of which took them to &#8220;unfamiliar websites,&#8221; the FTC said. The agency also highlighted the problem of romance scams that start on social media.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Most of these scams started on Facebook, with WhatsApp and Instagram in &#8220;a distant second and third,&#8221; the FTC noted. A lawsuit filed against Meta, which owns all three platforms, last week claimed that it misled users about scam ads. In 2025, it was reported that Meta was making billions of dollars from ads promoting scams and illegal products.<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_kh9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-body mb-4 hidden pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:block\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_14h9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Of course, other types of internet scams are snaring regular folks. The FBI said earlier this month that Americans reported losing nearly $21 billion to internet-related crimes in 2025, more than half of which was to cryptocurrency scams. Artificial intelligence scams cost Americans around $893 million last year, the FBI said. And that&#8217;s just what people have reported losing \u2014 many victims won&#8217;t file complaints to the FBI or FTC.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">The FTC offers some advice on how to protect yourself from social media scams, such as limiting the reach of your posts so scammers have less specific information to work with and to avoid letting &#8220;someone you have met only on social media direct your investment decisions.&#8221; The agency also suggests searching for a company&#8217;s name along with &#8220;scam&#8221; or &#8220;complaint&#8221; before buying anything.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">As always, tread cautiously, do your own research and if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be careful out there, folks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.engadget.com\/social-media\/the-ftc-says-americans-lost-at-least-21-billion-to-social-media-scams-in-2025-152846798.html&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/GIy612HHYTJt_Iw7lrCn3g&#8211;\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD04MDA-\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/2026-04\/b7514cdb-67f5-4e8e-9edf-65e27030201d&#8221;] Social media The FTC says Americans lost at least $2.1 billion to social media scams in 2025 Cryptocurrency and AI scams hit Americans hard last year too. Kris Holt Contributing Reporter Tue, April 28, 2026 at 3:28 PM UTC Add Engadget on Google Tue, April 28, 2026 at 3:28 PM UTC Thana [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,63],"class_list":["post-1907342","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-engadget-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1907342","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1907342"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1907342\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1907342"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1907342"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1907342"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}