In the Matter of Social Media Scams

According to the FTC, people lost $2.1 billion to scams that started on social media in 2025. These scams appear to include investment scams, shopping scams, and romance scams. Investment scams accounted for $1.1 billion of the losses and often started with ads or posts offering investment programs. Shopping scams were the most reported type and frequently involved people ordering items from social media ads that led to unfamiliar websites or sites impersonating well-known brands. Romance scams, where nearly 60% of reported losses started on social media, often involved scammers tailoring their pitch based on profiles and later inventing crises or offering fake investment advice.

Summary generated from official Federal Trade Commission press release