Source: Cointelegraph Original: "{title}"
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has released its annual report detailing complaints and losses due to cryptocurrency scams and fraud in 2024.
According to the report published on April 23, IC3 received over 140,000 complaints related to cryptocurrency in 2024, resulting in approximately $9.3 billion in losses. The report noted that individuals aged 60 and above were the most affected group in cryptocurrency-related scams, with around 33,000 complaints and losses amounting to about $2.8 billion.
The report stated, "Last year, the losses reported to IC3 reached a record high, totaling $16.6 billion." It also pointed out, "Fraud was the primary cause of reported losses in 2024, while ransomware once again became the most widespread threat to critical infrastructure, with related complaints increasing by 9% compared to 2023." The report added that individuals aged 60 and above suffered the most significant losses and submitted the most complaints.
The report further mentioned that losses in 2024 increased by approximately 66% compared to 2023, rising from about $5.6 billion to $9.3 billion. The most significant losses were attributed to cryptocurrency investment schemes, while the highest number of complaints was related to "sextortion" scams, where scammers used photos and videos to create pornographic content. Other scams included those involving cryptocurrency ATMs or kiosks.
In February of this year, the FBI reported that its "Operation Level Up" helped potential cryptocurrency scam victims avoid approximately $285 million in losses during the period from January 2024 to January 2025. However, blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis speculated that, given the application of generative AI making scams "more scalable and cost-effective, making it easier for malicious actors to implement," 2025 could become the year with the highest number of scams to date.
Globally, Chainalysis estimated that the illegal cryptocurrency transaction volume in 2024 would be around $41 billion, with about 25% of the funds related to "hacking, extortion, trafficking, or scams." Some of the most notable criminal incidents included the theft of $1.4 billion in cryptocurrency from the Bybit exchange in March and over $1.3 billion in cryptocurrency stolen by North Korean hackers.
Related: Bitcoin (BTC) breaks downward trend to rise to $92,600; who is behind it?
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