Global Scam & Fraud Statistics
Headline figures on the scale of scams and fraud worldwide, drawn from official agency reports.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Scams cause enormous financial and emotional harm worldwide, but no single global figure captures the whole picture — different agencies measure different things, in different years, and most fraud goes unreported.
The figures below are drawn from named official reports. Where a number can't be attributed to a source, we leave it out. Always check the linked report for the latest data and its methodology.
Key figures
Over US$10 billion (2023)
Reported losses to fraud (US, FTC)
Source: FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book (2023)
Key takeaways
- Most fraud is under-reported, so official figures are a floor, not a ceiling.
- Investment and imposter scams consistently drive the largest reported losses.
- Always check the source report's year and methodology before quoting a figure.
Frequently asked questions
Why do scam statistics vary so much between sources?
Agencies measure different things (reports vs. losses), cover different regions and years, and capture only reported cases. Treat each figure as specific to its source and year, not a single global truth.