In 2018, fraudsters stole $ 1,5 billion from Americans

More Americans are reporting being victims of scams. In 2018, the number of victims increased again - in total, the attackers stole almost $1,5 billion from US residents.

Фото: Depositphotos

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said it has received 3 million consumer complaints, including more than 1,4 million reports of fraud - about a quarter of people say they were defrauded of money, writes Fox Business.

Americans reported losing $1,48 billion, up nearly 40% from 2017.

Despite the stereotype that scammers rob older people more often and more easily, most of the applicants were young. Of those who reported scams, 43% were people in their 20s and 30s, while only 15% were 70 or older, according to the FTC. It is possible that young people are simply more likely to report such incidents (this issue was not explored by the report).

At the same time, older people lost more money. The amounts stolen varied by age, with 70-year-olds defrauded of an average of $751 and 20-year-olds defrauded of $400. But for those over 80, the average amount stolen rose sharply—$1700.

In most cases, it was reported about the type of scammers who somehow gain a person’s trust and convince them to send them money. “Collectors” and those who stole personal data of victims were also noted.

The preferred method of robbery is cashless payment. In this way, the attackers received 423 million dollars. But in 2018, the FTC also saw a 95% increase in gift card fraud. There has also been a nearly 25% increase in credit card fraud, the highest recorded figure so far.

The top three states at the rate of 1 fraud cases on 100 thousands of people included Florida, Georgia and Nevada. Personal data is most often stolen in Georgia, Nevada and California.

The smallest number of reports about the theft of personal data on 100 thousands of people recorded in Vermont, Iowa, South Dakota and Maine.

There is some good news: from 2017 to 2018, the reports on tax data thefts have decreased by 38%.

If you think you are a victim of fraud, you can file a complaint with the FTC.

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