Tech Support Scam Statistics
Reported losses and complaint volumes for tech-support fraud, drawn from FBI IC3 and FTC Consumer Sentinel official reports.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Tech-support scams impersonate well-known technology companies — Microsoft, Apple, Google — or antivirus providers, claiming that the victim's device has a virus or security breach. Victims are directed to call a phone number or allow remote access to their computer, after which the fraudster either installs actual malware, steals credentials, or convinces the victim to pay for fictional repair services. Losses are particularly concentrated among older adults.
Official figures substantially under-represent the true scale. Many victims, especially older adults, do not report because they feel embarrassed or do not connect what happened to them with a reportable crime. The FBI IC3 and FTC both note that tech-support fraud is among the categories most likely to go unreported, partly because victims often realise only gradually that they were defrauded.
Key figures
$1.46 billion in losses from tech-support and government-impersonation call-centre fraud in 2024
Tech support and government impersonation call-centre fraud losses (US, FBI IC3)
Source: FBI IC3 2024 Annual Internet Crime Report (2024)
Older adults reported $159 million in losses to tech-support scams in 2024
Tech-support scam losses reported by older adults (US, FTC)
Source: FTC Consumer Sentinel Network 2024 Data Book (2024)
215 arrests made through 11 joint operations in 2024 — a 700% increase from the prior year
Joint FBI–India CBI law enforcement operations against call-centre fraud (2024)
Source: FBI IC3 2024 Annual Internet Crime Report (2024)
Key takeaways
- The FBI IC3 recorded $1.46 billion in losses from tech-support and government-impersonation call-centre fraud combined in 2024.
- Older adults bear a disproportionate share of losses, reporting $159 million to the FTC in tech-support scams alone in 2024.
- Enforcement is growing: the FBI and India's CBI made 215 arrests in 2024 through 11 joint operations targeting call-centre fraud — a 700% increase over 2023.
- Legitimate technology companies never send unsolicited pop-ups asking you to call a number, and they do not request remote access or gift-card payments to fix device issues.
Frequently asked questions
Why do tech-support scams disproportionately affect older adults?
The FTC and FBI consistently document that older adults report tech-support scam losses at higher rates and higher median amounts than younger adults. Researchers attribute this to several factors: greater trust in authority figures, less familiarity with how software companies actually communicate, and a higher rate of computer ownership without a trusted person nearby to provide a second opinion. The FTC reported that older adults were 'much more likely' than younger adults to report losing money on tech-support scams in 2024.