In a shocking disclosure from a new FBI report, seniors faced devastating losses of nearly $4.8 billion due to scams in 2024.
See the tweet below!
It’s a damning indictment of a system failing to protect the most vulnerable.
According to the FBI, seniors were swindled out of a staggering $4.8 billion last year.
Shockingly, this is just a fraction of the $16.6 billion total lost by Americans in 2024—a 33% increase from the previous year.
A troubling trend that sees our elders fall prey to cunning scam artists without just recourse or protection.
Among the hardest-hit states were Texas, California, and Florida, which reported the highest financial losses.
The report suggests that a large portion of these scams involved fraudulent business email schemes and technology support scams.
This is an affront to our society’s conscience, where the elderly are manipulated into parting with their hard-earned money.
Specifically, those over 60 lost an eye-watering $2 billion to fake business emails and another $1 billion to tech scams.
As if this were not enough, investment frauds have also been on the rise.
Nearly 48,000 complaints concerning investment scams resulted in losses nearing $6 billion.
Over the past five years, these schemes have racked up a total of $50.5 billion in losses, showcasing the need for immediate intervention.
“Every number in this report represents a real person, a victim whose trust was betrayed, whose financial security was compromised and whose voice deserves to be heard,” said the FBI’s Section Chief of the Criminal Investigative Division Christopher Delzotto, as cited by AOL.
It’s important to highlight that victims aged 50 to 59, although somewhat younger, also suffered monumental losses of $2.5 billion, making them the second highest affected group.
This demonstrates a vulnerability that stretches across generations, not just the elderly.
We can’t ignore that 2024 saw the FBI receive 836,000 reports of cyber fraud, with an average loss of $20,000 per incident.
The Bureau warns the actual figures could be higher due to underreporting.
😱 Americans lost $9.3 BILLION to #crypto scams in 2024 — FBI
That’s a 66% increase from 2023’s $5.6B.
Total losses from internet crimes in 2024 is a record-breaking $16.6 billion 💀 pic.twitter.com/MmP0C2LZkT
— HodlFM Team (@Hodl_fm) April 24, 2025
This kind of crime is not only a massive financial blow but a personal violation on an unprecedented scale.
While authorities struggle to keep up with these rapidly evolving schemes, the victims and their stories cannot be overlooked.
The financial deficit is harrowing, but the emotional and psychological toll is immeasurable.
