The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) released its annual report for 2025. Crypto and AI-related scams ranked among the most expensive categories for Americans: 181,565 complaints with combined losses topping $11.4 billion. That number keeps climbing every year.
Why victims pay in crypto
The FBI confirmed that investment fraud schemes had the highest share of victims paying in cryptocurrency rather than cards or bank transfers. Bitcoin is the top choice for scammers because transactions are fast and impossible to reverse. That irreversibility is exactly what they count on.
Pig butchering schemes have grown sharply. A fraudster spends months or years building romantic or business connections with a target, then steers them toward a fake investment platform. The victim sends funds. The platform goes dark. Separately, 32,424 complaints involved government impersonation - callers posing as FBI agents or IRS officers who demanded urgent crypto transfers to "protect" accounts. That category alone cost victims $800 million.
Minors are targeted too
About 10% of complaints involving crimes against people under 17 included crypto or crypto ATMs. Losses exceeded $5 million. Teens mostly encounter scammers through social media, where they're offered "easy money" or access to exclusive projects. Crypto ATMs with no age verification make the transaction fast and final. The money is gone in minutes.
A TRON token posing as the FBI
In March 2026 the FBI warned about a new tactic. Scammers deployed a token on the TRON blockchain that mimicked the bureau's branding. Wallet holders received messages claiming their account was "under investigation" and that AML verification was required. Whoever entered their credentials lost access to their wallet. Simple concept. Very effective.
The global picture from Chainalysis
In March 2026, Chainalysis published its 2025 data: illicit crypto addresses received $154 billion worldwide, largely driven by sanctions evasion. The $11.4 billion lost by Americans is only the documented part of the problem. Most victims never file a complaint, or they wait months before doing so - long after the funds are gone.
How the FBI is trying to stop fraud before it happens
In 2024 the bureau launched Operation Level Up, a program to proactively reach out to potential victims. If analysis flags an active scheme and identifies specific targets, agents contact them before any money moves. The program continued in 2025. Still, total losses went up - showing how hard it is to outpace the growth of these scams.
Finding a safe exchange
No legitimate authority ever asks you to move funds into cryptocurrency. Full stop. If someone promises guaranteed returns or pressures you into "urgent verification" - you're dealing with a scammer. Those looking to buy Bitcoin with hryvnia should stick to verified exchanges with real user reviews, not platforms promoted in Telegram chats promising 30% monthly returns.
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