According to the FBI, crypto investment fraud increased 183% to $2.57 billion in 2022

According to data from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), cryptocurrency investment fraud increased 183% from $907 million in 2021 to $2.57 billion in 2022. There has also been a spike in cryptocurrency investment schemes, according to the FBI.

Crypto crime statistics from the FBI

Last week, the FBI published its 2022 Internet Crime Report. As described by the bureau, the report is based on data from the agency’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), which is a public resource for reporting cyberattacks and incidents.

Investment scams were the most costly scheme reported to the IC3 in 2022. The FBI noted a 127% increase in investment fraud complaints from $1.45 billion in 2021 to $3.31 billion in 2022.

In terms of both victims and losses, cryptocurrency investment scams “experienced an unparalleled surge,” the research states. Many victims have assumed massive debt to cover losses from these fraudulent investments, according to the report. Victims between the ages of 30 and 49 are most likely to report this type of scam.

Among the most common cryptocurrency investment scams in 2022 are those related to liquidity mining, hacked social media accounts, celebrity impersonation, real estate professionals, and employment scams.

The FBI on Monday published a PSA alerting the public to “a rise in cryptocurrency investment schemes” following the publication of its most recent Internet Crime Report.

According to information from IC3, “Criminals, often headquartered overseas, cheated victims of more than two billion U.S. dollars in 2022 using these techniques.”

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