Elder Fraud Statistics & Research: What the 2025 FBI Data Tells Us
Last Updated: May 2026 | Sources: FBI IC3 2025 Annual Report, FTC December 2025, DOJ, U.S. Senate, FinCEN
Journalists: see our Authoritative Statistics page for on-record quotes and downloadable CSV datasets.
Understanding the scope of elder fraud helps families, caregivers, and seniors themselves recognize the urgency of prevention. The statistics below come directly from federal law enforcement and consumer protection agencies. These figures are pulled together in Stolen Trust, our 2026 special study on the national elder-fraud landscape, which reads the federal data alongside 1,910 news items to map the full picture and closes with one practical plan to make reporting and recovery simpler. For a comprehensive overview of how scammers target older Americans, see our guide to Protecting America’s Seniors from Online Scams.
The Big Picture: Elder Fraud in America
According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) 2025 Annual Report (released 2026), Americans age 60 and older reported:
- $7.748 billion in total losses
- 201,266 complaints filed
- +59% increase in losses over 2024 (up from $4.885 billion)
- $38,500 average loss per complaint
- 12,444 victims lost more than $100,000 each
Seniors (60+) now represent the largest victim group by total losses of any age category tracked by the FBI.
Most Costly Scam Types Targeting Seniors
The FBI’s 2025 data reveals which scams cause the greatest financial harm to older Americans. Note the emergence of recovery scams as the fifth-largest category by 60+ losses ($540.5 million) — operations that target previous fraud victims with promises to recover their stolen money, then steal more:
| Scam Type | Losses (60+) in 2025 | Learn More |
|---|---|---|
| Investment Scams | $3.519 billion | Prevention Guide |
| Tech Support Scams | $1.041 billion | Prevention Guide |
| Romance Scams | $584 million | Prevention Guide |
| Business Email Compromise | $568 million | Reporting Guide |
| Government Impersonation | $413 million | Prevention Guide |
| Personal Data Breach | $324 million | Reporting Guide |
Investment scams alone account for more than one-third of all elder fraud losses. These often involve cryptocurrency and are sometimes called “pig butchering” scams, where criminals build relationships before introducing fake investment platforms.
State-by-State Elder Fraud Losses
Elder fraud affects every state, but losses vary significantly by population and other factors. Here are the states with the highest reported losses among victims 60+:
| State (2025) | Victims (60+) | Losses (60+) | 5-Yr Growth | Resources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 22,157 | $1,403.9 million | +339% | CA Resources |
| Florida | 17,147 | $709.8 million | +322% | FL Resources |
| Texas | 14,410 | $678.5 million | +445% | TX Resources |
| New York | 8,537 | $408.7 million | +214% | NY Resources |
| Arizona | 9,834 | $343.9 million | +672% | AZ Resources |
| New Jersey | 4,111 | $249.8 million | +298% | NJ Resources |
| Georgia | 4,865 | $218.2 million | +747% | GA Resources |
| Pennsylvania | 7,088 | $215.8 million | +271% | PA Resources |
| Vermont (among the lowest) | 436 | $8.5 million | +165% | VT Resources |
For a complete list of state resources and local reporting contacts, visit our State-by-State Reporting Guide.
FTC Findings: The True Cost May Be Higher
The Federal Trade Commission’s December 2025 Report on Older Adults suggests the actual cost of fraud is far greater than reported numbers indicate:
- Estimated total cost: $10.1 billion to $81.5 billion annually
- Reported losses: Grew from $600 million (2020) to $2.4 billion (2024)
- Median loss for 60+: $900 in 2024 (highest of any age group; the 80+ median is $1,650)
- Many victims never report due to shame or not realizing they were scammed
The FTC notes that older adults are more likely to lose money once targeted, and they tend to lose larger amounts than younger victims.
DOJ Enforcement Actions
The Department of Justice Elder Justice Initiative (EAPPA 2025) reports significant law enforcement action:
- 283 criminal enforcement actions
- 608 defendants charged
- $2.36 billion stolen by prosecuted criminals
- 1+ million victims affected by prosecuted schemes
The DOJ has prioritized shutting down transnational fraud call centers, particularly those operating from overseas locations targeting American seniors.
Senate Aging Committee Findings
The U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging continues to investigate elder fraud and provides a dedicated hotline for seniors:
Senate Fraud Hotline: 1-855-303-9470
The Committee’s annual report highlights the most common scams reported by constituents and works to shape policy responses to protect older Americans.
Key Trends to Watch
- Cryptocurrency dominates elder fraud: The IC3 recorded 42,271 elder cryptocurrency complaints totaling $4.35 billion in 2025. Adults 60 and over account for 38% of all crypto fraud losses ($4.35 billion of $11.37 billion) despite filing just 23% of crypto complaints (42,271 of 181,565).
- Investment scams are the dominant threat: Losses jumped from $1.834 billion in 2024 to $3.519 billion in 2025 — a +92% year-over-year increase. Investment fraud now accounts for about 45% of all reported elder fraud losses — nearly half of every dollar stolen from seniors.
- Tech support scams cross the $1 billion line: Losses reached $1.041 billion in 2025, up from $982 million in 2024 — a +6% increase.
- AI is enabling new threats: The FBI received 22,364 complaints citing AI as a fraud tool in 2025, with $893 million in losses across all ages. Voice cloning and deepfakes are reshaping romance and impersonation scams.
- Recovery scams have emerged as a distinct category: the FBI 2025 report describes recovery scams (where scammers target prior fraud victims with promises to recover lost money) as a growing tactic. Treat any unexpected contact about recovering lost money — especially one that asks for an upfront fee — as a likely scam.
- Job scams against retirees are rising: Retirees seeking supplemental income are increasingly targeted with fake work-from-home and task-based job schemes. Treat any job offer that asks you to pay upfront, buy gift cards, or move money for an “employer” as a likely scam.
What These Numbers Mean for You
If you or a loved one is over 60, these statistics underscore the importance of:
- Education: Learn to recognize common scam tactics through our free online training
- Communication: Talk openly with family about scam attempts
- Verification: Always verify unexpected contacts independently
- Reporting: Report scams even if you did not lose money—it helps protect others
Report a Scam
If you have been targeted or victimized:
- FBI IC3: ic3.gov
- FTC: reportfraud.ftc.gov
- National Elder Fraud Hotline: (833) 372-8311
- Senate Fraud Hotline: 1-855-303-9470
- Your State Attorney General: Find your state’s contact
Sources
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 IC3 Annual Report (released 2026)
Federal Trade Commission, Protecting Older Adults from Fraud (December 2025)
U.S. Department of Justice, Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act Report (October 2025)
U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, Age of Fraud (2025 Edition)
U.S. Treasury FinCEN statements on elder financial exploitation (April 2024)
AI Is Changing How These Scams Work
The data tells a clear story: AI is accelerating elder fraud. The FBI’s 2025 IC3 report included an AI-specific section for the first time, documenting $893 million in AI-enabled losses across all ages. But these numbers only count cases where victims recognized AI was involved — the true scale is far higher. AI is accelerating the largest 60+ loss category, investment fraud (often pig butchering), which reached $3.519 billion for seniors in 2025, and it enhances romance scams ($584 million for seniors) and other impersonation schemes.
In 2025, the FBI received 22,364 complaints citing AI as a tool in fraud, with losses exceeding $893 million. For seniors aged 60+, AI-related fraud accounted for $352 million in reported losses — and these numbers represent only cases where victims recognized AI was involved.
Read our complete guide to AI-Powered Scams Targeting Seniors • AI Pig Butchering • AI Romance Scams • AI Investment Fraud • Voice Cloning
Take Our Free Training Course | Share Your Story
Sources & verification. Published by HCSK Inc. The information on this page is based on official federal data from the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). We last checked these figures against the original government sources in June 2026.