Comprehensive data on AI-enabled fraud: cybercrime losses, deepfake attack rates, romance scam totals, and fake account volumes across major platforms. Sources: FBI IC3, FTC, Pew Research, McAfee, Meta, LinkedIn.
Updated July 2026 • All figures from official government reports or named research sources
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received 859,532 complaints in 2024 — 33% more total losses than the previous year, reaching $16.6 billion. Investment fraud was the costliest category ($6.57B), followed by business email compromise ($2.77B) and romance and confidence fraud ($672M). The FBI has specifically flagged AI-generated content as an increasing factor in fraud operations.
| Category | 2024 Losses | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Total cybercrime losses (all types) | $16.6 billion | +33% |
| Investment fraud (incl. pig butchering) | $6.57 billion | Rising |
| Romance / confidence fraud | $672,009,052 | +~5% |
| Total IC3 complaints | 859,532 | Stable |
| Avg romance scam victim loss | $37,521 | ↑ Rising |
Source: FBI IC3 2024 Internet Crime Report
The FTC's Consumer Sentinel Network tracks fraud reports from multiple agencies, capturing a broader view than the FBI's IC3 alone. In 2024, total fraud losses hit $12.5 billion — up 25% from 2023. The percentage of fraud reporters who lost money jumped from 27% to 38% in a single year, reflecting a shift toward higher-success-rate scam techniques including AI-generated deepfakes and synthetic identity fraud.
| Metric | Figure | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Total FTC fraud losses | $12.5 billion | +25% |
| Total FTC fraud reports | 6.5 million | Stable |
| Reporters who lost money (2024) | 38% | ↑ from 27% |
| Romance scam losses (FTC 2023) | $1.14 billion | Peak |
| Investment / pig butchering losses (FTC 2024) | $5.7 billion | +24% |
| Older adult fraud losses reported (2024) | $2.4 billion | +4× since 2020 |
| Older adult estimated true losses (FTC) | $82 billion | FTC estimate |
Source: FTC Consumer Sentinel Network 2024 Data Book
Deepfake fraud — using AI-generated synthetic media to impersonate people — is the fastest-growing category of AI-enabled crime. In business settings, it's used to impersonate executives in wire fraud schemes ("CEO deepfake calls"). In consumer settings, it's used to create fake dating profiles, synthetic influencer accounts, and fabricated news images. The same technology underlies both use cases.
| Statistic | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Global deepfake fraud losses (current) | $12 billion | Westfall 2024 |
| AI deepfake fraud projected (2027) | $40 billion | Industry projection |
| Companies experiencing audio/video deepfake attacks | 49% | Industry research 2024 |
| Deepfakes now nearly indistinguishable from real | 68% of deepfakes | Research 2024–25 |
| Voters who encountered AI deepfake political content | 77% | 2024 election research |
| Americans who know what a deepfake is | 42% | Pew Research 2023 |
Most reported scam contacts happen on social media, not through email or phone. The FTC and Better Business Bureau's 2024 data shows Facebook alone accounts for 57% of all scam-origin contacts — more than all other platforms combined. Meta's own transparency reports reveal the scale of the problem: 27.67 billion fake accounts have been removed from Facebook since October 2017, yet approximately 90 million live fake accounts are estimated to escape detection each quarter.
| Platform | Scam Origin Share | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 57% | FTC / BBB 2024 | |
| 22% | FTC / BBB 2024 | |
| 8% | FTC / BBB 2024 | |
| All other platforms combined | 13% | FTC / BBB 2024 |
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In 2024, total cybercrime losses reported to the FBI IC3 reached $16.6 billion (+33% YoY). The FTC recorded $12.5 billion in total fraud losses (+25%). Deepfake-specific fraud is estimated at $12 billion globally and is projected to reach $40 billion by 2027. Romance scams alone account for $672 million in FBI-reported losses, with an estimated true total of $4.7 billion (Consumer Federation of America).
49% of companies experienced audio or video deepfake attacks in 2024, according to industry research. CEO deepfake impersonation scams — where synthetic voice or video is used to authorize fraudulent wire transfers — are the most common enterprise attack vector. The FBI has also confirmed increasing use of AI-generated images and videos in romance scam and investment fraud operations targeting consumers.
The FBI IC3 recorded $672,009,052 in romance and confidence fraud losses in 2024 across 17,910 complaints. The FTC separately recorded $1.14 billion from 64,003 reports in 2023. The Consumer Federation of America estimates the true annual cost is closer to $4.7 billion — roughly 7 times reported figures, since most victims never report. The average victim loses $37,521.
Facebook alone accounts for 57% of all reported scam-origin contacts (FTC / BBB 2024). Instagram accounts for 22%, and WhatsApp accounts for 8% — meaning Meta-owned platforms originate roughly 87% of social media fraud contacts. Investment fraud and romance scams are the dominant categories, with pig butchering cryptocurrency schemes accounting for $5.7 billion in FTC-reported losses in 2024.
Adults over 60 suffer the largest financial losses: $4.8 billion across all cybercrime fraud types in 2024 (FBI IC3), a 43% increase year-over-year. The FTC estimates older adults' true losses are $82 billion annually — a figure that likely captures investment and romance fraud that goes unreported. Adults 40–49 file the most total complaints. Romance scam victims lose $37,521 on average regardless of age.