FIGURES
- US$7.228 billion: Lost to cryptocurrency investment fraud reported to the FBI in 2025, across 61,559 complaints, the largest single loss category. Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internet Crime Report 2025, Apr 2026, https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2025_IC3Report.pdf
- US$929 million: Lost to romance and confidence fraud reported to the FBI in 2025, across 23,159 complaints. Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internet Crime Report 2025, Apr 2026, https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2025_IC3Report.pdf
- 77%: Of 8,103 people the FBI's Operation Level Up contacted were unaware they were being scammed (figures as of December 2025). Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Operation Level Up, Dec 2025, https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/national-crimes-and-victim-resources/operation-level-up

DEMAND SIGNALS (vidIQ, 25 October 2026)
- "Crypto scam" draws about 44,900 searches a month, up 24%, and "romance scams" about 20,700, up 56% (vidIQ).
- A video titled "I was catfished at 52" broke out at 71 times its channel's average (vidIQ).