Online Shopping Scam Trends / Report
Key Takeaways The FTC says people lost over $3 billion to scams that started online in 2024, compared with about $1.9 billion lost to more traditional contact methods like calls, texts, or emails. The FTC has repeatedly found that online shopping scams are one of the categories younger adults are especially likely to report losing […]
Scams Targeting Seniors / Report
Key Takeaways FTC reporting says total fraud losses reported by adults 60 and over rose from about $600 million in 2020 to about $2.4 billion in 2024. In 2024, adults 80 and older had a median reported fraud loss above $1,600, much higher than younger age groups. The FBI says that in 2025, more than […]
Psychology of Scammers / Report
Key Takeaways Scammers generally do not rely on one clever trick. They rely on repeatable persuasion systems built around trust, compliance, and emotional manipulation. Microsoft and the Colorado Department of Education both describe scam and social-engineering tactics through Cialdini-style influence principles such as reciprocity, authority, scarcity, liking, consistency, and social proof/consensus. Coalition highlights fear, urgency, […]
Scam Trends Report: How Fraud Is Changing in 2026
Key Takeaways Scam losses exceeded $12.5 billion in 2024, with continued growth. Imposter scams and investment scams remain top loss categories. Text message scams have increased more than 5x since 2020. Scammers are using AI and personalization to increase success rates. Fraud is shifting toward higher-value, fewer but more effective attacks. Multi-channel scams are becoming […]
State of Cybersecurity for Consumers: Threats, Habits, and Risk Trends
Key Takeaways 73% of U.S. adults say they have experienced at least one type of online scam or attack. 32% say at least one of those incidents happened in the past year. 48% say hackers have made fraudulent charges on their credit or debit card. 29% say a personal online account, such as email, social […]
How Scammers Build Trust / Report
Key Takeaways Scammers often do not begin with pressure. They begin with relationship-building, credibility, and emotional alignment. Scamwatch says grooming happens when a scammer builds a trusting relationship with the victim through regular contact. Scamwatch says scammers exploit emotional needs such as connection, wealth, fear of consequences, and compassion to make the relationship feel real […]
Why Seniors Are Targeted / Report
Key Takeaways Older adults are not targeted simply because they use technology less. They are often targeted because scams against them can produce much larger individual losses. The FTC says adults 80 and older had a median reported fraud loss above $1,600 in 2024, much higher than younger age groups. The FTC says total fraud […]
Digital Safety Studies / Report
Key Takeaways Major public studies consistently show that online scams, fraud, privacy concerns, and account compromise are now mainstream consumer issues. FTC data shows reported fraud losses topped $12.5 billion in 2024. Pew found 73% of U.S. adults have experienced at least one type of online scam or attack. Javelin reports $27.2 billion in identity […]
Most Common Scam Tactics / Report
Key Takeaways Scamwatch says scammers commonly rely on impersonation, urgency, and emotional triggers across scam types. The FTC’s 2024 data shows imposter scams remained one of the largest fraud categories, with $2.95 billion in reported losses. The FTC also says consumers reported $470 million in losses from scams that started with text messages in 2024, […]
Scams Targeting Young Adults / Report
Key Takeaways Younger adults are often more likely than older adults to report losing money to fraud, even though older adults usually report larger median losses when scams succeed. FTC data has shown that people ages 20–29 reported losing money in 44% of fraud reports filed with the agency, compared with much lower loss rates […]
