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URL: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spotlight/2026/04/reported-losses-scams-social-media-eight-times-higher-2020

Federal Trade Commission, Data Spotlight, "Reported losses to scams on social media eight times higher than in 2020", April 27, 2026.
- Reported losses to scams that started on social media in 2025: $2.1 billion. By year: $261M (2020), $789M (2021), $1.2B (2022), $1.5B (2023), $1.9B (2024), $2.1B (2025).
- "nearly 30%" of people who reported losing money to a scam in 2025 said it started on social media.
- Footnote 1: among 2025 fraud reports indicating a loss, website or app 31%, social media 28%, phone call 11%, email 10%, text 7% (excluding reports with no contact method or other methods). The FTC did not collect reports during the 2025 government shutdown.
- Facebook had the most reported money lost of any platform in 2025; WhatsApp second, Instagram third.
- Shopping scams were the most reported social media scam; more than 40% of people who lost money said it started with an ad.
- Investment scams: $1.1 billion, more than half of the money lost on social media. Romance: nearly 60% of people who lost money to romance scams said it started on social media; $298M.
- Job or business opportunity scams: one in three who lost money said it started on social media.
- Social media was the most costly contact method for every age group under 80; for people 80 and over it ranked second after phone calls. Share of loss reports starting on social media: 40% (18-29), 32% (30-39), 32% (40-49), 32% (50-59), 29% (60-69), 23% (70-79), 14% (80+).