You are not the only one who gets vocal messages about the extensive warranty of your car.
According to the US Federal Committee (FTC), about 2.6 million people reported reports of the fall of the fraud in 2024, totaling $ 12.5 billion in losses. This is a big jump of $ 2.5 billion lost in 2023, when the FTC received about the same number of reports.
The most common way in which people reported that losing money was when they came into contact with social media, although the FTC did not collapse which platforms are the biggest culprits.
When it comes to scams themselves, the most common way in which people lost money was through scam scams, where bad actors pretend to be romantic interests, family members, government entities or technical support experts.
Some of these scams can get quite extreme – a French woman was reportedly deceived by $ 800,000 From someone who pretends to be actor Brad Pitt. But in less dramatic cases, scammers breastfeed people, creating a sense of anxiety and urgent need, which can hit even the most visible people outside the guard.
The financial columnist for the cut, Charlotte Cowles, wrote A viral essay Last year on how he was cheated on $ 50,000 in cash, which he handed over to a stranger in a shoe box. Although her essay did not create very sad by her readers, she showed how specialized criminals can build crises that destabilize people enough to pass their savings.
“I am not a man who panicked under pressure and falls for a conspiracy that includes drug smuggling, money laundering and CIA officers on my door,” Cowles wrote. “Until suddenly, I was.”
Cowles is right, however, that the victims of fraud is not always who would expect. Elderly who are less familiar with technology are often considered particularly vulnerable to internet scams, but FTC says people aged 20-29 have lost money more frequently when reporting scams than people over 70 years old.
Some types of fraud were popular for over a decade, while other types of scams are growing rapidly.
The third most common type of fraud in 2024 was those related to job opportunities and businesses, almost tripling in a number of reports between 2020 and 2024.
Traditional bank transport was the most common way that people lost money in scam, totaling about $ 2 billion, but encryption payments were not far behind $ 1.4 billion.
These scammers can approach consumers through social media, telephone call, email or text. But as AI Deepfake technology becomes more accessible, we can see more phone frauds in the future – the scammers will be able to imitate the voices of loved ones more closely, paving the way for more targeted attacks. So, in doubt, you might want to call your grandson before you believe a call from an unknown number in danger.
