FBI report 2024: Crypto fraud explodes to $ 9.3 billion
The current annual report of the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for 2024 reveals a dramatic increase in fraud with cryptocurrencies, which at $ 9.3 billion is over half of all damage sums recorded.
Although the total number of complaints went back to 859,532, the financial losses rose to $ 16.6 billion-an increase of 33% compared to 2023. The figures show: Cryptocurrencies are still a preferred goal for investment fraudsters.
Investment fraud with crypto dominates damage balance
With $ 5,8 billion loss solely due to investment fraud with cryptocurrencies, this area exceeded all other categories. Popular stitches such as social engineering fraud, fake trading platforms and romantic crypto scams (“Pig Butchering”) were specifically directed against inexperienced investors. Cryptocurrencies have also been used more and more for money laundering in technical support fraud and Business Email Compromise (BEC).
Older people are particularly affected: people over 60 lost over $ 4,8 billion-a large part of it through fraudulent crypto investments. The report refers to a clear trend: cybercriminals combine classic fraud methods with the anonymity and irreversibility of blockchain transactions.
FBI initiatives against crypto fraud
The FBI started several programs in 2024 to limit losses in the crypto area. With the “Operation Level Up” initiative, losses of $ 286 million were prevented and over 4,300 victims were identified. In addition, cooperation with international authorities led to over 215 arrests in conjunction with crypto-based call center fraud.
Ransomware also remains a core problem: almost all known blackmail cases require payments in cryptocurrencies. Variants such as Akira, attracting bit and ransom stroke are increasingly aimed at critical infrastructures and SMEs. The number of reported ransomware attacks increased by 9%-often with Bitcoin as a preferred means of payment.
According to the IC3 Report, cryptocurrencies are at the center of modern cybercrime. The combination of growing market, unclear regulation and technical complexity makes crypto applications susceptible to fraud. Investors, especially older people, must be sensitized and protected more – by education, tools and legal standards. Cvj.ch has broken down the most common crypto fraud stitches here.
