FTC Says Americans Lost $2.1 Billion to Social Media Scams in 2025

Americans lost $2.1 billion to social media scams in 2025, according to a report from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which said losses from social media scams have increased eightfold since 2020.

The FTC reported that nearly 30% of people who reported losing money to scams said the schemes began on social media, and that social media scams resulted in higher losses than any other method scammers used to contact consumers.

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The FTC data also showed that people reported losing far more money to scams on Facebook than on any other social media platform, with WhatsApp and Instagram ranking a distant second and third.

CNET and TechCrunch both echoed the FTC’s framing that Facebook was the most frequently identified origin point for scams, with CNET stating that “Facebook most frequently being identified as the social media platform where the scam originated.”

The FTC said social media scams take many forms, including shopping scams, which were the most reported type of social media scam last year, and investment schemes that begin with ads or posts promising to teach people how to invest.

The FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network reporting, as described by BleepingComputer, similarly said “almost one in three Americans who lost money to scammers last year were contacted via a social media platform.”

The FTC report described Facebook as the dominant platform for reported losses, saying people reported losing far more money to scams on Facebook alone than they reported losing to text or email scams.

CNET put a specific figure on that comparison, stating that “Scams originating on Facebook cost people $794 million in 2025,” while WhatsApp and Instagram combined for $659 million in losses.

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TechCrunch and NewsBytes both described the same platform ranking, with WhatsApp and Instagram listed as a “distant second and third” after Facebook.

WGME also described the same pattern, saying “Consumers reported losing more money to scams that began on Facebook than on any other platform, and more than they lost through scams initiated by text or email.”

The FTC’s explanation, quoted across multiple outlets, emphasized how scammers can exploit targeting tools and user information, with TechCrunch quoting the FTC: “Social media creates easy access to billions of people from anywhere in the world, making a scammer’s job easier at very little cost.”

The FTC also said scammers may “buy ads and use the same tools used by real businesses to target people by age, interests or shopping habits,” a line repeated in TechCrunch and BleepingComputer.

The FTC report described social media scams as largely falling into three categories: investment, shopping, and romance, with each category tied to specific reported loss patterns.

Investment scams produced the biggest financial damage, with TechCrunch stating that “These types of investment scams led to $1.1 billion in losses,” and CNET adding that “The greatest amount of money -- $1.1 billion -- was lost to investment scams.”

The FTC said many investment schemes begin with ads or posts promising to teach people how to invest, and TechCrunch described scammers posing as friendly advisers or creating WhatsApp groups filled with fake testimonials.

Shopping scams were the most reported type of social media scam last year, and TechCrunch reported that “Over 40% of people who lost money to social media scams said they ordered an item they saw in an ad.”

CNET described the shopping scam pattern in detail, quoting the FTC that victims reported being ripped off by ordering something they saw in a social media ad—“everything from clothes and makeup to car parts and even puppies.”

Romance scams were also prominent, with TechCrunch saying “nearly 60% of people who reported losing money to a romance scam in 2025 said it started on a social media platform,” and NewsBytes similarly stating “almost 60% of those who reported losing money to a romance scam in 2025 said the interaction began on a social media platform.”

To reduce the risk of falling victim to social media scams, the FTC advised users to take steps that focus on limiting exposure, controlling who can contact them, and verifying claims before money changes hands.

TechCrunch said the FTC advises users can protect themselves by “limiting who can see their posts and contacts,” “never allowing someone they met online to direct their investment decisions,” and “carefully vetting products before making a purchase by researching the company and searching the name alongside the terms “scam” or “complaint.””

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CNET likewise described the FTC’s approach, advising people to limit who can see their posts and contacts, never let someone they’ve only met on social media make investment decisions, and “before buying something you've seen advertised on social media, do research on the company at the FTC.”

NewsBytes summarized the same FTC recommendations by saying the FTC recommends restricting the visibility of posts and contacts, never letting someone met online make investment decisions, and thoroughly researching products before buying.

WGME added additional practical framing, saying “Adjust your privacy settings to limit what strangers can see about you” and “Never rely on investment advice from someone you’ve only met on social media.”

Consumer Advice stated the reporting step as “If you spot a scam, report it to the FTC atReportFraud.ftc.gov.”

While the FTC report focused on consumer losses and prevention, several outlets also described Meta’s anti-scam efforts and related enforcement actions.

PYMNTS reported that Meta has been promoting its efforts to combat scams, including “last month’s release artificial intelligence-powered anti-scam tools for WhatsApp, Facebook and Messenger,” and it also described a February legal action by Meta against advertisers it accused of impersonating celebrities to defraud users.

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BleepingComputer added more detail about Meta’s enforcement, saying “Meta introduced new anti-scam protections across WhatsApp, Facebook, and Messenger last month,” and it described testing warnings that flag suspicious Facebook friend requests based on signals such as “a profile location that doesn't match the user's region or a small number of mutual connections.”

BleepingComputer also reported that Meta rolled out tools in October, including “a more advanced scam-detection system for suspicious chats that will warn when a new contact sends a potentially scammy message.”

It further stated that Meta removed “over 159 million scam ads” and took down “over 10.9 million accounts on Facebook and Instagram linked to criminal scam operations in 2025.”

The FTC’s own framing of social media’s role in enabling scams—such as the idea that scammers can “buy ads and use the same tools used by real businesses”—appeared alongside these Meta steps, underscoring the connection between platform targeting and fraud.