Older Americans hit hard cryptocurrencies, FBI IC3 reported $ 2.8 billion of losses

In its 2024 annual annual report, the FBI Internet Crime Complaints Center (IC3) showed a sharp increase in the number and severity of cryptocurrencies related to cryptocurrency.

During the year, more than 140,000 complaints were recorded in IC3, which was related to cryptocurrency, resulting in a stunning financial loss of $ 9.3 billion.

Worrying trend

A significant part of these damage came from 60 -year -olds and more than people who filed about 33,000 complaints and suffered a total of $ 2.8 billion. In this age group, complaints and financial damage had also been reported.

IC3 report The dramatic growth of losses was also 66% higher than in 2023, when the total loss reached $ 5.6 billion. The main source of these damage was cryptocurrency -related investment fraud, but the report also highlighted other schemes, such as sequences, where criminals manipulate personal content to send money to sending money, and fraudspirations that include crypto machines.

In addition, the ransomware attacks, which had been a repeated problem, showed an increase of 9% in 2024, thus posing a growing threat to critical infrastructure. In general, frauds and cryptops were the most important for the rise of the reported cybercrime, and older persons were particularly vulnerable to their high bets on digital fraud schemes.

On the other hand, the butchers of the pigs, which were once mainly aimed at older adults, are now affected by more and more younger people, especially people aged 30-49. A recent study by mature investigated 150 major crypto platforms, revealing over 200,000 scams and $ 5.5 billion in 2024.

The studies focused on ethereum -based fraud and revealed significant fraud on various platforms, including large shifts, crypto -friendly banks and institutional trading platforms. The scope varied, but the trend is clear: the main victims are younger people.

Surgery level upwards

Thus, with the help of the FBI agents and the US secret service, the “level of surgery up” was initiated to address the growing issue of cryptocurrency investment fraud. Singing pigs involves fraudsters who create web relationships with victims and persuade them to invest in a deceptive cryptocurrency platform.

As a result of this operation, a total of 4,323 persons affected by cryptocurrency investment fraud were notified of the fraud. 76% of these victims were not known that they had fallen victim to fraud. The estimated financial saving of these victims was $ 285.6 million. In addition, 42 victims were directed to a FBI victim specialist who supports possible suicide thoughts.