Scam News
Weekly Fraud Briefings
A plain-English, victim-centered read on this week's scams — combining what the AVASC database is seeing with authoritative warnings and enforcement from the FTC, FBI IC3, CISA, FinCEN, and state Attorneys General. Every briefing links out to its sources.
Scam by the numbers
U.S. cybercrime losses are climbing fast
$20.9B in 2025 · +26% vs 2024Sources: FBI IC3 and FTC Consumer Sentinel, annual reports. Figures are reported losses only; actual totals are higher, as most scams go unreported.
Where the money goes
Reported fraud losses from official U.S. sources — the scam types and payment methods behind the biggest losses.
Reported losses by payment method
FTC · 2024- Bank Transfer or Payment$2.09B
- Cryptocurrency$1.42B
Reported losses by scam type
FBI IC3 · 2024- Investment$6.57B
- Business Email Compromise$2.77B
- Tech/Customer Support$1.46B
- Non-Payment/Non-Delivery$785M
- Confidence/Romance$672M
- Government Impersonation$405M
Scam complaints, updated daily
Consumer complaints that mention scams, filed with the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) over the last 12 months. A live signal from the CFPB's public database — not a total count of all scams.
6,196
scam-related complaints in the last 12 months
Most-reported states
- CA805
- TX571
- FL556
- NY381
- GA329
- IL310
Today in Scams: Fake 'Recovery' Scams Hit Victims Twice
Fraudsters are re-targeting people who already lost money to scams — while toll-text schemes and AI-run romance-investment cons keep churning nationwide.
FBI Warns Scammers Are Impersonating Its Own Fraud Hotline
A fresh FBI warning about fake IC3 agents targeting past victims tops today's brief, alongside active toll-text, task-job, and AI romance-investment scams AVASC is also tracking.
Fake 'FBI Recovery Agents' Are Re-Targeting Scam Victims
A fresh FBI warning about fake IC3 recovery agents lands alongside two other active waves AVASC is tracking: nationwide toll-text scams and AI-run romance-investment cons.
FBI Warns of Fake 'Recovery' Agents Targeting Past Scam Victims
Fraudsters are impersonating FBI/IC3 officials with AI-generated videos to re-victimize people who already lost money, while a fresh FTC settlement exposes fake bill-payment sites — all echoing patterns AVASC's own database has flagged in recent weeks.
Fake 'Recovery' Scams Are Now Targeting Yesterday's Scam Victims
The FTC's starkest warning yet: fraudsters are re-targeting people who already lost money, while toll-text and government-impersonation scams keep grinding on.
This Week in Scams: Fake 'Recovery' Calls, Toll Texts, AI Romance Cons
A closer look at the fraud patterns dominating reports this week — from scammers posing as the FBI to help "recover" stolen money, to AI-driven romance-investment schemes and toll-text phishing.
FBI Warns: Fake 'Recovery Agents' Are Re-Scamming Fraud Victims
Federal alerts and AVASC's own tracking point to the same three active threats today: recovery-scam impersonators hunting past victims, a nationwide toll-text smishing wave, and AI-driven romance-investment cons.
Scammers Targeting Past Victims a Second Time, FTC Warns
Fresh federal alerts on recovery scams and social-media trading cons align with what AVASC's own data is picking up this summer — plus an active nationwide toll-text wave.
FBI Warns of Deepfake 'Recovery' Scams Hitting Past Victims Again
A fresh federal warning about AI-powered fake FBI/IC3 recovery agents tops today's brief, alongside an active nationwide toll-text wave and AI-driven investment and job scams.
Fake 'Recovery' Scammers Hit Prior Victims; Toll Texts, AI Romance Cons Persist
The FTC's newest alert warns that scam victims are being targeted a second time by fake recovery agents, while toll-text phishing and AI-driven romance-investment schemes remain in heavy circulation.
Recovery Scams Re-Hit Past Victims; Toll Texts, AI Crypto Cons Persist
Scammers are circling back to people who already lost money, while toll-text phishing and AI-driven romance-investment cons keep churning — here's what's active right now and how to protect yourself.
Fake 'Recovery' Scams Targeting Fraud Victims Again — What's Active Today
Federal regulators and AVASC's own reports point to the same pattern this week: scammers are re-targeting people who already lost money, while fake investment pitches and toll-payment texts keep hitting new victims.
FBI Renews Warning: Fake 'Recovery Agents' Are Re-Targeting Scam Victims
New federal alerts on recovery scams and social-media 'trading education' cons line up with what AVASC's own reports are showing this summer.
This Week in Scams: Recovery Scams, Toll Texts & AI Romance Cons
Fraud victims are being targeted a second time by fake FBI "recovery" agents, while task-job scams, toll smishing, and AI-powered romance-investment cons continue to drain households nationwide.
Recovery Scams Re-Target Victims; AI Powers Romance-Investment Cons
This week's active threats: fake 'refund helpers' preying on past victims, a persistent toll-text smishing wave, and AI-driven romance-investment fraud draining six-figure sums.
FBI Warns of Fake 'Recovery' Agents Targeting Past Scam Victims
A fresh FBI alert on AI-powered impersonation of its own fraud unit tops today's brief, alongside an ongoing nationwide toll-text wave and AI-driven romance-investment schemes.
Fake FBI 'Recovery Agents' Are Re-Targeting Fraud Victims Right Now
The FBI and FTC are both actively warning that scammers posing as IC3/FBI staff are hunting people who've already lost money — while toll-text scams and AI-powered romance-investment cons keep surging.
FBI Warns of AI-Powered Recovery Scams Targeting Past Victims
A fresh FBI alert on fake “fund recovery” impersonators, a nationwide toll-text wave, and AI-driven romance-investment schemes are the scams to watch right now.
Fake 'Recovery Agents' and AI-Boosted Romance Scams Surge
Scammers are re-targeting people who've already lost money — impersonating the FBI and offering fake refunds — while toll-text smishing and AI-powered romance-investment cons keep draining new victims.
Scammers Are Targeting Their Own Past Victims Again
The FBI and FTC both issued fresh warnings this week about fake 'recovery' services preying on people who already lost money — a pattern AVASC's own data has been tracking since June.
FBI Warns of Fake Agents Targeting Scam Victims Again
Federal officials renew warnings on recovery scams and toll-text phishing as AVASC's own data shows the same patterns hitting victims right now.
This Week in Scams: Tolls, Recovery Cons, and AI Romance Fraud
Government impersonation, toll-text scams, AI-driven romance-investment fraud, and a new wave of fake "fund recovery" schemes targeting past victims topped the week's fraud reporting.
FBI Warns Fraud Victims Are Being Targeted Again by Fake 'Recovery' Scams
A new FBI alert on recovery scams, a nationwide toll-text wave, and AI-driven romance-investment cons are the three biggest active threats we're tracking today.
Prior Victims Retargeted as Toll Texts, AI Romance Scams Surge
Federal officials and AVASC's own case data both show scammers circling back to people who've already been defrauded, while toll-text floods and AI-run romance-investment cons keep draining new victims.
Fake FTC/FBI Agents and Toll-Text Scams Are Surging Right Now
This week's biggest active threats: government impersonators demanding you 'protect' your money, AI-powered recovery scams targeting past victims, and another wave of toll-payment text scams.
Two Federal Agencies Warn: Scammers Are Impersonating the Investigators
The FTC and FBI issued fresh warnings this month about fraudsters posing as agency staff — one targeting new victims, one re-targeting people who already lost money — while toll-text scams and AI-driven romance-investment cons keep churning.
Fake Federal Agents and AI Romance-Investment Cons Surge
New federal warnings about scammers impersonating the FTC and FBI are colliding with a fast-growing wave of AI-driven romance-investment fraud and toll-text scams AVASC is also tracking right now.
FBI-LinkedIn Job Scam Alert, AI Romance-Crypto Cons, Fake 'Recovery' Callers
Today's fastest-moving threats: a fresh FBI/LinkedIn warning on task-job fraud, AI-powered romance-investment scams draining life savings, and fake 'recovery agents' re-targeting past victims.
FBI Warns: Fake “FBI Agents” Are Re-Scamming Fraud Victims
A fresh FBI alert on deepfake recovery scammers targeting past victims lines up with what AVASC's own data has been flagging for weeks — plus active job-scam and toll-text waves to watch today.
This Week in Scams: Recovery Scams, Toll Texts, AI Romance Fraud
A look at the scams making the rounds this week — including a new twist that re-targets people who've already been defrauded — and what AVASC's data shows alongside official warnings from the FBI and FTC.
FBI, FTC Warn: Fraudsters Are Impersonating Investigators Right Now
Fresh federal alerts show scammers posing as FBI/IC3 "recovery agents" and FTC officials to re-target people who've already been defrauded, while AI-run romance-investment cons keep scaling nationwide.
Fake FTC/FBI Agents Re-Targeting Scam Victims; Toll Texts Still Surging
Two active imposter campaigns — one mimicking the FTC, one mimicking the FBI's own fraud unit — are hitting people right now, alongside a fresh wave of toll-payment smishing texts.
FBI and FTC Sound Fresh Alarms on Impersonation Scams
Federal agencies just re-upped warnings about criminals posing as the FBI and FTC themselves, while toll-text scams and AI-driven romance-investment schemes keep churning nationwide.
Fake FBI/IC3 Recovery Agents and FTC Impersonators Active Now
Scammers are impersonating the very agencies victims turn to for help — while toll-text smishing and AI-run romance-investment cons keep grinding on.
FBI Warns: Fake “IC3” Recovery Scams Now Use AI Deepfakes
A newly updated federal warning shows scammers using AI-generated FBI videos and spoofed IC3 sites to re-target people who already lost money — exactly the pattern AVASC's own data has flagged for weeks.
Fake FBI Agents Are Re-Targeting Scam Victims — What's Active Today
A newly updated FBI warning about impostors posing as federal agents on social media tops today's active scam threats, alongside surging toll-text and AI-driven romance-investment cons.
Toll Texts, Fake Jobs, AI Romance Cons & World Cup Ticket Fraud
Four active scam patterns are hitting inboxes and phones right now — here's what AVASC and federal regulators are seeing today, and how to stay protected.
This Week in Scams: Task-Job Traps, Toll Texts & Recovery Cons
A weekly, victim-centered look at the fraud patterns AVASC's database and federal regulators are both flagging right now — and what you can do about each one.
Fake 'Recovery Agents' Re-Target Scam Victims; AI Pig-Butchering & Task Scams Surge
Three active threats to watch today: bogus fund-recovery agents preying on prior victims, AI-accelerated romance-investment scams, and a fresh wave of task-job and toll-text scams.
Toll Texts, Pig-Butchering & Fake 'Recovery' Scams Surge
Three fraud patterns are actively hitting Americans right now — and AVASC's own case data lines up closely with new federal warnings.
World Cup Final Weekend Scams, Crypto Couriers & Recovery Fraud Surge
As the FIFA World Cup final approaches this Sunday, ticket fraud is spiking alongside a wave of crypto "pig-butchering" courier scams and new attempts to re-victimize people who already lost money to fraud.
Today in Scams: Fake FTC Agents, World Cup Ticket Cons, Toll Texts
A convincing new scam impersonating real FTC officials is spreading days before the World Cup final, as toll-text and "fund recovery" schemes AVASC tracks keep escalating.
World Cup Final Ticket Scams Surge as Task-Job and Toll Frauds Persist
With the World Cup final days away, fake FIFA ticket sites are draining fans' bank accounts—while toll-text, task-job, and 'recovery' scams flagged in AVASC's data keep hitting victims nationwide.
World Cup Finale, Toll Texts & AI Romance-Investment Cons Surge
As the World Cup reaches its final matches, fake FIFA sites, toll-payment texts, and AI-powered romance-investment scams are the most active threats AVASC is tracking today.
World Cup Ticket Traps, Toll Texts & AI Pig-Butchering Scams
As the World Cup final nears, fake ticket sites, nationwide toll-scam texts, and AI-run crypto romance cons are all active right now — here's what AVASC is seeing and how to stay safe.
This Week in Scams: Tolls, Tickets, AI Romance Cons & Fake Recovery
From a surging toll-text wave to AI-powered romance-investment schemes and fake FIFA ticket sites, this week's briefing rounds up the scams AVASC and federal watchdogs are seeing most — plus how to protect yourself and where to report.
World Cup Ticket Scams Surge as Final Nears; Toll Texts, Fake FBI "Recovery" Persist
With the World Cup final one week away, spoofed FIFA sites and social-media ticket scams are spiking — alongside the ongoing wave of fake toll texts and scammers impersonating the FBI to re-target people who've already lost money.
Today in Scams: World Cup Ticket Fraud, Toll Texts, Fake FTC Agents
As the FIFA World Cup 2026 nears its July 19 final, ticket and toll-text scams are peaking — and so are fake "fund recovery" pitches aimed at people who've already been scammed.
World Cup Ticket Scams Surge, Interpol Cracks Down on Pig-Butchering
As the World Cup final nears, ticket fraud is spiking — and a massive international bust just hit the romance-investment scam pipeline.
Crypto Couriers, Toll Texts & World Cup Fakes: Today's Active Scams
Three scam waves are accelerating right now — in-person cash pickups in crypto cons, a nationwide toll-text surge, and World Cup ticket spoofing — and AVASC's data lines up with federal warnings on all three.
This Week in Scams: Cash Couriers and Fake Federal Agents
A federal warning about crypto scammers sending couriers to victims' homes, plus a fresh wave of fake FTC and IC3 agents, headline this week's fraud landscape.
This Week in Scams: World Cup Ticket Traps & Fake Officials
As the World Cup continues and imposter scams hit record levels, this week's briefing rounds up what federal watchdogs and AVASC's own reports are seeing — and how to stay a step ahead.
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