Americans lost a combined $11.4 billion to cryptocurrency-related scams in 2025, representing a 22% increase compared to the previous year, according to a newly released report by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The findings highlight a sharp and continuing rise in digital asset fraud across the country. The scale of the losses underscores growing concerns about the vulnerability of investors to sophisticated online schemes.
The FBI attributes the majority of these scams to organized criminal networks operating out of Southeast Asia. These groups are reported to rely on human trafficking victims, who are forced to work as laborers running the fraudulent operations. The schemes are described as long-term and psychologically manipulative, designed to gradually gain victims’ trust before extracting large sums of money.
The total number of complaints involving cryptocurrency climbed 21% to 181,565 over the reporting period. The average loss per complaint reached $62,604, reflecting the significant financial harm inflicted on individual victims. The data points to a broad and accelerating surge in online fraud more generally, with crypto scams forming a central part of that trend.
Among the most severely affected were nearly 18,600 victims who each reported losses exceeding $100,000. These figures suggest that while the scams are widespread, a notable portion of cases involve substantial individual financial damage. The high average loss amounts indicate that perpetrators are targeting victims over extended periods rather than through quick, one-off transactions.
The report reinforces earlier warnings from law enforcement about the intersection of human trafficking and cybercrime in Southeast Asia. Criminal organizations in the region have been documented coercing trafficked individuals into staffing large-scale fraud operations. Authorities have urged the public to exercise caution when approached online with unsolicited investment opportunities involving cryptocurrency.
Originally reported by CoinDesk.
