New FTC Data Reveals Top Scams of the Year — How to Stay Safe

Each year, National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) serves as a reminder to check our defenses against fraud. During the 2026 observance, the Federal Trade Commission held a webinar that outlined the latest scam trends, based on consumer reports filed with the agency. The patterns are worth knowing even if you think you’re unlikely to fall for them, because scammers constantly adjust their tactics.

Here’s what the FTC shared, along with practical steps you can take to lower your risk.

What Happened

During the webinar, FTC staff presented data on the most commonly reported fraud types and the total dollars lost by consumers. The agency’s Consumer Sentinel Network receives millions of reports each year, and the trends for 2025—and early signals for 2026—point to several recurring schemes:

  • Impersonation scams continue to top the list. Callers pretend to be from the Social Security Administration, the IRS, or a local sheriff’s office. They create urgency and demand payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.
  • Romance scams remain a significant threat, especially for older adults. Scammers build trust over weeks or months before inventing emergencies that require money.
  • Tech support fraud is evolving. Instead of cold calls, criminals now use pop‑up ads and fake error messages that direct people to call a “help” number.

A separate FTC webinar, held later in March, focused specifically on military financial scams. Service members and veterans are often targeted with fake debt‑relief offers and phony loan modifications, partly because of their steady income and frequent moves.

According to an ACA International summary of the FTC’s presentation, total reported losses from fraud exceeded $12 billion in 2025, with median losses varying by scam type. Notably, losses involving cryptocurrency and bank transfers are growing faster than those involving traditional payment methods.

Why It Matters

The dollar figures are one thing. The human cost—lost savings, eroded trust, emotional distress—matters more. Many victims never report, so the true scale is almost certainly larger.

Scammers now use AI tools to clone voices and generate convincing emails. That makes it harder to tell a real message from a fake one. The FTC’s data shows that younger adults report losing money to fraud at higher rates than older adults, though older victims tend to lose larger sums. No age group is immune.

What’s also concerning is the speed at which scammers adapt. When one payment method becomes harder to exploit, they shift to another. The impersonation scripts improve. The fake websites look more real. The takeaway: awareness has to be ongoing.

What Readers Can Do

The FTC’s advice is straightforward and evidence‑based. Here’s a summary you can put into practice today:

  • Hang up on unsolicited calls. If someone claims to be from a government agency and demands immediate payment, it is a scam. Government offices do not call to threaten arrest or demand money.
  • Do not trust caller ID. Scammers can spoof numbers so that they appear to be from a legitimate source. If you have doubts, hang up and call the official number yourself.
  • Never pay with gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency to someone you have not met in person. These payment methods offer no recovery options.
  • Slow down. Pressure is a scammer’s primary tool. Take time to verify the story, talk to a friend, or search online for the scam.
  • Enable two‑factor authentication on your key accounts. It won’t stop every attack, but it blocks many automated credential‑stealing attempts.
  • Report scams. File a report with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Even if you did not lose money, your report helps the agency spot new trends.

For military families, the FTC recommends checking with the chain of command or legal assistance office before signing up for debt‑relief services. Many offers that sound too good to be true turn out to be advance‑fee fraud.

Sources

  • ACA International, “FTC Webinar Highlights Latest Scam Trends During National Consumer Protection Week,” March 5, 2026.
  • ACA International, “FTC Webinar Highlights Responding to Military Financial Scams,” March 17, 2026.
  • Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book (annual reports).