Consumers lost $2.1 billion to social media scams in 2025, FTC reports

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TLDR

  • Americans lost $2.1 billion to social media scams in 2025, an eightfold increase, with Facebook the top platform.

Key Facts

  • Social media scams caused higher losses than any other contact method, with nearly 30% of scam victims saying schemes started on social media.
  • Facebook generated more reported losses than text or email scams combined; WhatsApp and Instagram ranked second and third.
  • Shopping scams were the most common type; over 40% of victims ordered items seen in ads that led to fake or unfamiliar sites.
  • Investment scams accounted for $1.1 billion of total losses; romance scams also frequently began on social platforms.

Why It Matters

  • The eightfold growth signals social media has become the dominant vector for consumer fraud, not just a secondary channel.
  • The FTC recommends limiting post visibility, vetting sellers, and never letting an online contact direct investment decisions.

Aisha Malik, TechCrunch · 2026-04-27 · Read the original

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