ISTANBUL 

Americans lost $16.6 billion to scams in 2024, with older adults bearing the brunt, according to a report published Wednesday by the FBI.

Seniors were defrauded out of $4.8 billion, making up a significant portion of the nationwide total, up 33% over the losses reported in 2023.

"Every number in this report represents a real person, a victim whose trust was betrayed, whose financial security was compromised and whose voice deserves to be heard," Christopher Delzotto, the section chief of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division, said during a call with reporters, as reported by ABC News.

The report highlights investment scams as a major driver of losses. These schemes often lure victims into putting money into ventures involving stocks, bonds, real estate, or other assets promising unrealistically high returns. Over the past five years, total losses from investment scams have reached $50.5 billion.

The FBI receives approximately 836,000 cyber fraud reports each year, with victims typically losing at least $20,000, the report noted.

In 2024 alone, there were 47,919 investment fraud complaints, totaling nearly $6 billion in losses. Business email compromise scams, in which fraudsters pose as company executives or colleagues to request money or gift cards, resulted in $2 billion in losses.

Tech support scams brought in over $1 billion, as scammers convinced victims there was a problem with their devices. Toll scams – involving fake texts about unpaid tolls – led to more than 59,000 complaints and nearly $130,000 in losses.

Emergency scams, where fraudsters pretend to be relatives in distress, caused $2.7 million in losses. Americans ages 50 to 59 had the second-highest losses after seniors, totaling $2.5 billion.

California, Texas, and Florida reported the highest overall losses.

FBI officials emphasized that the true extent of fraud may be even greater, as many victims do not report scams due to embarrassment or fear.