The U.S. Department of Justice has carried out its largest forfeiture action, seizing $15 billion in Bitcoin linked to a ‘pig butchering’ investment scam operation in Southeast Asia. This has seen searches for “pig butchering scams” spike by 300% over the past month.
U.S. citizens have lost $3.5 billion to investment scams in the first half of 2025 alone, with victims paying scammers $939 million in cryptocurrency – a $261 million increase from the same period in 2024.
With International Fraud Awareness Week (16th – 22nd November, 2025) approaching, Digital Journal has heard from the finance firm BrokerChooser. The company has analysed FTC fraud reports from the first half of 2025 to reveal the most frequently reported scams – and the states most targeted by investment fraud this year.
Investment scams on the rise: Fifth most common fraud in the U.S.
| Fraud Category | Total number of fraud reports in the US (2025 H1) | Median loss reported | Most vulnerable state | Reports per million in the state (2025) |
| Imposter scams | 516,724 | $630 | New Hampshire | 1,820.1 |
| Online shopping and negative reviews | 193,020 | $120 | Delaware | 704.9 |
| Internet services | 118,071 | $313 | Illinois | 592.7 |
| Business and job opportunities | 75,364 | $2,100 | Nevada | 276.3 |
| Investment related | 66,703 | $10,000 | Nevada | 215.9 |
| Telephone and mobile services | 43,646 | $260 | Delaware | 154.1 |
| Health care | 37,768 | $288 | Nevada | 161.7 |
| Prizes, sweepstakes and lotteries | 34,845 | $870 | Maine | 177.1 |
| Travel, vacations and timeshare plans | 27,439 | $907 | Florida | 104.0 |
| Advance payments for credit services | 25,464 | $829 | Missouri | 284.0 |
In just the first two quarters of 2025, the analysis reveals that investment scams are the fifth most common fraud in the U.S., affecting 66,703 people in six months – about 215 cases per one million people. Scammers exploit Americans’ appetite for quick returns, making these scams the most financially damaging with a jaw-dropping median loss of $10,000, up from $9,300 for all of 2024, and a staggering 376% higher than the second highest median loss ($2,100) from business and job scams.
The most pervasive fraud in the U.S. is imposter scams, with an eye-popping 516,724 reports nationwide. That is 167% more than online shopping scams in second.
Nevada tops the list of states most targeted by investment scams this year, clocking 211 reports per one million residents in the first half of 2025. Victims in the state lost a staggering $40,489,129 in the first six months of the year – a 19.4% increase from the same period last year ($33.9 million).
In second place with 202 reports per million residents is Arizona. Residents lost more than $95,126,312 to investment scams in just six months – the fifth highest total nationally, behind California ($552 million), Texas ($283 million), Florida ($241 million) and New York ($172 million). Compared to $64.3 million in losses during the same period last year, Arizonans have become increasingly vulnerable to investment scam tactics, with a 32% increase in cases and nearly a 50% jump in total losses compared to 2024.
Floridians are the third most susceptible to investment scams, recording 185 reports per one million people – an 18% increase from 157 per million in the first half of 2024 – and losses exceeding $241 million in the first six months of 2025, the third highest in the US.
How investment scammers are approaching victims in 2025
| Rank | Contact method for investment scams | Total $ lost (2025 H1) | Number of reports (2025 H1) |
| 1 | Social Media | $589.1M | 13,577 |
| 2 | Website or Apps | $266M | 6,007 |
| 3 | Text | $151.7M | 4,014 |
| 4 | $37.3M | 2,041 | |
| 5 | Phone call | $81.4M | 1,846 |
| 6 | Online Ad or Pop-up | $34M | 944 |
The report reveals that social media is the prime hunting ground for investment scams, with 13,577 cases reported and victims losing a staggering $589.1 million in just six months. In fact, 42% of American adults under 30 reportedly seek financial advice via social media, risking exposure to fake or misleading information.
Websites and apps are the second most common channel, with 6,007 reports and $266 million lost. Thanks to AI, scammers can now create realistic, sophisticated platforms in minutes, tricking victims into depositing funds that are then stolen. Investment scammers are also more likely to contact people via text message.
