U.S. Consumers Lost $2.1 Billion in Social Media Scams in 2025, FTC Says
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<p>Scams that start on social media are gaining steam, with Americans last year <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/04/new-ftc-data-show-people-have-lost-billions-social-media-scams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">losing $2.1 billion</a> to such schemes, more than the amounts lost through scams that used other methods to reach consumers, according to the Federal Trade Commission.</p><p>The money lost in 2025 is eight times more than what was stolen through social media in 2020. About 30% of those who reported losing money in a scam said the trouble began on social media. Most of the money Americans lost to scammers – about $794 million – began on Facebook, followed by WhatsApp ($425 million) and Instagram ($234 million). All three social media sites are owned by tech giant Meta.</p><p>Scams starting on other social media sites accounted for about $599 million.</p><p>Other methods scammers used resulted in fewer losses, with phone calls and website or apps resulting in $1.1 billion each. Others included text ($639 million) and email ($569 million).</p><p>“Social media can be a great way to connect, but can also make a scammer’s job easier,” the agency wrote in its <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spotlight/2026/04/reported-losses-scams-social-media-eight-times-higher-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Data Spotlight report</a>. “They might hack into your account to scam your friends or even create entirely fake profiles. Or they might use what you post to figure out how to target you. And by buying ads, they get the same tools real businesses use to target you by age, interests, or shopping habits. At very little cost, scammers can reach billions of people from anywhere in the world.”</p><h3>Shopping Scams are Common</h3><p>The cybersecurity industry and other sectors have been warning consumers for years about the amount and kinds of scams that originate on social media. Data protection specialist Forta last year listed <a href="https://www.terranovasecurity.com/blog/examples-social-media-scams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eight examples of scams</a> that are common on social media, ranging from phishing through direct messages and quizzes or personality tests to fake giveaways and contests and get-rich-quick investment schemes.</p><p>According to the FTC, shopping scams were the most reported on social media, with more than 40% of people who lost money to a social media-based scam saying it started when they ordered something they’d seen in an ad, such as clothes, makeup, car parts, and puppies.</p><p>“Many ads led to unfamiliar websites, while others sent people to sites impersonating well-known brands offering big discounts,” the agency wrote. “Most people said they paid for things that simply never arrived. When orders did show up, people often reported that the items were counterfeits or very different from what was advertised. Reports show that these products were often shipped from China, with high return shipping costs making returns unworkable.”</p><h3>Most Money Lost in Investment Scams</h3><p>While shopping scams were the most reported, it was investment scams that caused the largest losses. In all, $1.1 billion – more than half the total amount lost by U.S. consumers in 2025 – was stolen through investment scams.</p><p>Investment scams come in forms, with some starting with an ad or social media post offering a program to teach people how to invest, while other scammers pose as financial advisors or create WhatsApp groups of “successful investors” giving positive but fake testimonials.</p><p>“They directed people to fake – but real-looking – investment platforms,” the FTC wrote. “There, people create an account, see fake profits, and maybe even withdraw a small amount – this builds trust, so people invest more. But there never was any real investment and, worse still, some people who lost money this way reported secondary losses to scammers who said they could trace and recover lost money … for a fee.”</p><h3>Romance Scams a Threat</h3><p>Romance scams often are another avenue for bad actors to steal money. Almost 60% of those who lost money to a romance scam said it started on a social media platform. The scammers approach people through social media, develop a relationship of sorts, and eventually – and it can take weeks or months – offer investment advice and help or invent a crisis that requires money.</p><p>Romance and other investments are becoming a larger threat as crime syndicates run <a href="https://securityboulevard.com/2026/04/fbi-and-international-agencies-shut-down-scam-centers-arrest-276-people/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">industrial-sized scam compounds</a> in remote parts of Southeast Asia, filled with hundreds of people forced to run these scams.</p><p>“While social media has become central to our routines, its vast reach and anonymity provide certain risks – they’ve become a breeding ground for scammers,” Forta wrote in its report. “Awareness is key to protecting yourself against social media scams.”</p><h3>A Matter of Trust</h3><p>A <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949791425000016" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> published last year by the Journal of Economic Criminology found that phishing scams are particularly effective because they target people through psychological manipulation, rather than trying to exploit software protections. The authors outlined how scammers will create fake profiles or hack legitimate accounts, then use social engineering to play on people’s emotions, like stress or empathy.</p><p>“This trust is leveraged by scammers to request help from victims, often in the form of money or personal information such as passwords,” they wrote. “Phishing is particularly effective due to the human tendency to act on trust, which is easily forged online.”</p><p>The report said social media users educated through training sessions about the dangers of phishing found the information helpful for protecting themselves online, but that people often don’t embrace such training because of time constraints or the belief it is boring or irrelevant.</p><p>The FTC said people should limit who can see their social media posts and contacts, never let someone they met on social media direct their investments, and check out a company to ensure they’re legitimate before buying anything from them. Users should search online for the company name, adding the words “scam” or “complaint” to the search.</p><div class="spu-placeholder" style="display:none"></div><div class="addtoany_share_save_container addtoany_content addtoany_content_bottom"><div class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_20 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="https://securityboulevard.com/2026/05/u-s-consumers-lost-2-1-billion-in-social-media-scams-in-2025-ftc-says/" data-a2a-title="U.S. Consumers Lost $2.1 Billion in Social Media Scams in 2025, FTC Says"><a class="a2a_button_twitter" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/twitter?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsecurityboulevard.com%2F2026%2F05%2Fu-s-consumers-lost-2-1-billion-in-social-media-scams-in-2025-ftc-says%2F&linkname=U.S.%20Consumers%20Lost%20%242.1%20Billion%20in%20Social%20Media%20Scams%20in%202025%2C%20FTC%20Says" title="Twitter" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_button_linkedin" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/linkedin?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsecurityboulevard.com%2F2026%2F05%2Fu-s-consumers-lost-2-1-billion-in-social-media-scams-in-2025-ftc-says%2F&linkname=U.S.%20Consumers%20Lost%20%242.1%20Billion%20in%20Social%20Media%20Scams%20in%202025%2C%20FTC%20Says" title="LinkedIn" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsecurityboulevard.com%2F2026%2F05%2Fu-s-consumers-lost-2-1-billion-in-social-media-scams-in-2025-ftc-says%2F&linkname=U.S.%20Consumers%20Lost%20%242.1%20Billion%20in%20Social%20Media%20Scams%20in%202025%2C%20FTC%20Says" title="Facebook" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_button_reddit" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/reddit?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsecurityboulevard.com%2F2026%2F05%2Fu-s-consumers-lost-2-1-billion-in-social-media-scams-in-2025-ftc-says%2F&linkname=U.S.%20Consumers%20Lost%20%242.1%20Billion%20in%20Social%20Media%20Scams%20in%202025%2C%20FTC%20Says" title="Reddit" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_button_email" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/email?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsecurityboulevard.com%2F2026%2F05%2Fu-s-consumers-lost-2-1-billion-in-social-media-scams-in-2025-ftc-says%2F&linkname=U.S.%20Consumers%20Lost%20%242.1%20Billion%20in%20Social%20Media%20Scams%20in%202025%2C%20FTC%20Says" title="Email" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share"></a></div></div>