Americans lost an estimated $2.1 billion to scams that began on social media platforms in 2025, according to new data released by the Federal Trade Commission.
The agency said nearly 30% of people who reported losing money to scams last year indicated the fraud originated on social media, making it the most costly method used by scammers. Losses tied to social media scams have increased eightfold since 2020, the data show.
Officials said social media platforms provide scammers with easy and inexpensive access to large audiences, allowing them to target users based on personal information, interests and online behavior. Scammers may also hack accounts or impersonate legitimate businesses through ads and posts.
According to the report, Facebook accounted for the highest reported losses among social media platforms in 2025, followed by WhatsApp and Instagram. Losses tied to Facebook alone exceeded those reported from scams conducted via text or email.
The data also show that most age groups reported losing more money to scams that began on social media than through any other method, except for people age 80 and older, who reported higher losses from phone scams.
Investment scams accounted for the largest share of losses, totaling $1.1 billion—more than half of all money lost to social media scams. These schemes often involve fraudulent ads or messages promoting investment opportunities or posing as financial advisers.
Shopping scams were the most frequently reported, with more than 40% of victims saying they purchased items advertised on social media that were never delivered or were misrepresented. Romance scams also remained prevalent, with nearly 60% of reported losses in that category beginning on social media.
The FTC advises consumers to limit who can view their social media profiles and posts, avoid making financial decisions based on online contacts, and research companies before making purchases.
More information on identifying and reporting scams is available at ftc.gov/scams, and suspected fraud can be reported at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
