The **U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC)** has revealed alarming statistics regarding the surge in imposter scams, which cost Americans a staggering $3.5 billion in 2025. This figure represents a near tripling of losses since 2020, underscoring the escalating threat these fraudulent activities pose. ### The Pervasive Threat of Impersonation Imposter scams were the most frequently reported fraud category last year, accounting for almost one-third of all fraud reports filed with the **FTC**. Fraudsters employ a variety of communication channels, including text messages, phone calls, emails, social media, and even search engine results, to ensnare their victims. The most financially damaging schemes typically involve fake bank security alerts, tricking individuals into transferring funds to supposedly 'protect' their accounts. Victims lost close to $1 billion to business impersonators, with fake bank alerts being the most lucrative. Government impersonators accounted for approximately $920 million in losses. ### Social Media: A Lucrative Attack Vector Social media platforms have proven to be an exceptionally effective channel for these scammers, with over $2.1 billion in 2025 losses attributed to social platforms. This marks an eightfold increase since 2020. Nearly one in three Americans who fell victim to these scams were initially contacted via social media. Losses from **Facebook** alone surpassed those from text and email combined, while **WhatsApp** and **Instagram** ranked as the second and third most exploited platforms. **Christopher Mufarrige**, director of the **FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection**, emphasized the agency's commitment: "The FTC will use every tool available to combat one of the most pernicious forms of fraud—government and business impersonation—and to protect the integrity of the digital economy." ### Broader Fraud Landscape and FTC's Response Overall reported fraud losses across all categories reached approximately $16 billion in 2025, marking a new record high and a roughly 25% increase from the previous year. In March 2024, the **FTC** itself became a target, warning that scammers were impersonating its employees to steal money. Fraudsters would pressure Americans via phone, email, or text to wire or transfer funds. Since its **Impersonation Rule** took effect in April 2024, the **FTC** has launched a dozen enforcement actions, recovering over $70 million in consumer redress and disrupting numerous imposter schemes. Notable actions include cases against **MediaAlpha** (government imposter scheme), **American Tax Service** (IRS imposter scheme), **Blackstone Legal** (phantom debt business imposter scheme), **Click Profit** (business imposter money-making scam), and **Accelerated Debt Settlement** (government and business imposter scheme). Most recently, in April 2026, the **FTC** filed a complaint against **Innovative Partners**, alleging the company impersonated government entities and insurance carriers to sell fraudulent health plans. These findings align with the **FBI's 2025 Internet Crime Report**, which revealed that U.S. victims lost almost $21 billion to cyber-enabled crimes throughout the same year, highlighting the pervasive and escalating nature of online fraud.