(AURN News) — The percentage of Americans losing money to fraud rose significantly in 2024, with total losses reaching $12.5 billion, up 25 percent from the previous year, according to new data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The FTC clarifies that the increase is not in the total number of fraud reports, but rather in the proportion of people who reported financial losses after being targeted. In 2023, 27 percent of Americans who reported fraud lost money, while that figure jumped to 38 percent in 2024.

Government-imposter scams saw particularly steep growth, with reported losses increasing by $171 million to reach $789 million in 2024, the FTC said.

According to the commission’s data, emails were the primary method scammers used to target consumers, followed by phone calls and text messages.

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