FTC Report: Fraud Losses Reported by Older Adults Reached About $3 Billion in 2025, Up From $600 Million in 2020
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a consumer alert on November 4 highlighting its report Protecting Older Consumers 2025-2026: fraud losses reported by adults age 60 and older rose from $600 million in 2020 to about $3 billion in 2025, roughly a fivefold increase.
Investment scams were the costliest category for older adults, with reported losses above $1 billion in 2025, up 42% from the year before, the report said. Older adults were also more likely than younger consumers to lose money to tech support scams, prize scams and government impersonation scams.
The report, released October 19, 2026, summarizes the FTC’s enforcement, education and monitoring work focused on older consumers. Consumers can report suspected fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
The FTC reminded consumers that government agencies never demand payment by phone through gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency, a hallmark of impersonation scams.
(Source: Federal Trade Commission)
Source: Federal Trade Commission
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 联邦贸易委员会大楼照片（CC BY-SA 4.0；Wikimedia Commons）/ Federal Trade Commission Building, Washington, D.C. (CC BY-SA 4.0; via Wikimedia Commons)
