The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has reported a record-breaking loss of $16.6 billion (approximately ₹1.38 lakh crore) due to cyber-enabled crimes in 2024, marking a staggering 33% increase from the previous year.
Established 25 years ago, IC3 has evolved into the primary hub for reporting cyber fraud and threats, processing over 9 million complaints since its inception.
In 2024 alone, the center received 859,532 complaints, averaging over 2,000 daily reports in the past five years, a dramatic rise from the 2,000 monthly complaints during its early days.
This surge underscores the expanding attack surface as digital connectivity permeates nearly every aspect of life, making individuals and critical infrastructure increasingly vulnerable to sophisticated cyber threats.
Fraud dominated the loss landscape, constituting 83% of the reported $16.6 billion, with investment scams leading at $6.57 billion, followed by Business Email Compromise (BEC) at $2.77 billion.
Ransomware, a persistent menace to critical infrastructure, saw a 9% rise in complaints, with top variants like Akira and LockBit targeting sectors vital to national security.
The elderly, particularly those over 60, bore the brunt, filing 147,127 complaints and suffering $4.88 billion in losses-a 46% increase in complaints and 43% in losses from 2023.
Tech support scams ($982 million) and investment fraud ($1.83 billion) disproportionately affected this demographic, highlighting their vulnerability to social engineering tactics.
Meanwhile, cryptocurrency-related fraud skyrocketed, with 149,686 complaints and losses of $9.3 billion, a 66% spike from the prior year, driven by schemes like “pig butchering” and fraudulent crypto ATMs.
Geographically, California, Texas, and Florida topped the charts in both complaint counts and losses, with California alone reporting $2.54 billion in damages.
On the international front, IC3 received complaints from over 200 countries, with the United Kingdom, Canada, and India ranking high among foreign submissions.
Fraudulent wire transactions often flowed to destinations like Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Mexico, revealing the global nature of these illicit networks.
According to the Report, The FBI’s proactive measures, including Operation Level Up, saved victims an estimated $285 million by identifying cryptocurrency fraud, while the Recovery Asset Team froze $469 million domestically and $92.5 million internationally through the Financial Fraud Kill Chain.
Partnerships with entities like India’s Central Bureau of Investigation led to over 215 arrests in call center fraud raids, a 700% increase from 2023.
Despite these efforts, the evolving tactics of cybercriminals-leveraging advanced technologies for ransomware, phishing (193,407 complaints), and sextortion (54,936 complaints)-pose an unrelenting challenge.
IC3 Director B. Chad Yarbrough emphasized the critical role of public reporting in combating this menace, urging victims to report incidents via www.ic3.gov.
As cyber threats continue to morph, the FBI’s mission to safeguard American safety, finances, and data remains steadfast, relying on robust partnerships and community vigilance to navigate this ever-shifting digital battleground.
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