2025’s costliest scams began on social media, FTC says

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Social media scams cost U.S. victims far more in 2025 than any other types of scams, the Federal Trade Commission said Monday. Reported losses totaled $2.1 billion last year, about an eightfold increase since 2020, according to the FTC. People of ages 80 and over were most vulnerable to scams via phone calls, but all other age groups lost more money to social media scams.

Nearly 30% of all people who reported losing money to a scam last year said it started on social media. Facebook was the most scam-ridden platform, with WhatsApp and Instagram a distant second and third place, according to the FTC. In fact, more people lost money via Facebook in 2025 than through text or email scams, the commission said.

What types of scams did the commission warn users to watch for?

Investment scams were the costliest type of social media-linked scams reported last year, with losses totaling $1.1 billion. They frequently started with an ad or post offering a program to teach users how to invest, according to the FTC. Other strategies included WhatsApp groups full of fake investors who shared phony testimonials.
Shopping scams were the most frequently reported type of social media scams in 2025, accounting for about 40% of lost money reports. Victims followed ads on social media to websites that impersonated big brands or never sent the products ordered, which ranged from clothes and makeup to car parts and even puppies, according to the FTC. The commission recommended that people search for the name of unfamiliar shopping sites along with the word “scam” or “complaint” to see if others were previously scammed.
Romance scams weren’t as common as the other types, but they mostly started on social media. Scammers looked through victims' profiles to craft an identity that would appeal to them, later asking for emergency money or inducing victims to sign up for a fake investment platform, according to the FTC. The commission suggested that social media users make their profiles private or only accessible to friends.

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Elizabeth Black

Elizabeth is a breaking news reporter at WORLD. She is a graduate of World Journalism Institute and Patrick Henry College. She resides in northern Virginia with her husband.