Interpretation of the U.S. "2024 Crypto Assets Fraud Report"

In April 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigation released its annual report on cryptocurrency fraud for 2024. The report is based on data from the Internet Crime Complaint Center and provides a detailed analysis of various indicators related to complaints about Crypto Assets. This article will interpret the core content of the report to help readers understand the latest trends and changes, enhancing their awareness and ability to prevent complex cybersecurity threats.

1. Overview of Complaint Data for 2024

1. Overall Situation

In 2024, the Cybercrime Reporting Center received a total of 859,532 complaints, resulting in an actual loss of $16.6 billion, a 33% increase compared to the previous year. Among these, 256,256 complaints involved actual financial losses, with an average loss of about $19,372 per incident. Approximately 83% of the losses came from online scams.

2. Crypto Assets相关情况

Complaints related to Crypto Assets reached 149,686, resulting in a loss of 9.3 billion USD, with the loss amount increasing by 66% year-on-year. The group aged over 60 is the main victim.

3. Situation of the group aged 60 and above

This age group submitted 147,127 complaints, reporting losses of $4.885 billion. The number of complaints increased by 46% year-on-year, and the amount of losses grew by 43% year-on-year. Among them, 7,500 people reported losses exceeding $100,000, with an average loss of as high as $83,000.

2. Analysis of Victim Groups

1. Overall Age Distribution

• Under 20 years old: 17,993 complaints, losses of $22.5 million
• Age 20-29: 71,399 complaints, loss of $540.1 million
• Ages 30-39: 108,899 complaints, losses of 1.4 billion USD.
• Ages 40-49: 112,755 complaints, losses of $2.2 billion
• Ages 50-59: 84,540 complaints, loss of $2.5 billion
• Age 60 and above: 147,127 complaints, losses of $4.8 billion

2. Crypto Assets Victims

The group aged 60 and above has the highest number of complaints in crypto assets investment scams (8,043 cases), with losses amounting to 1.6 billion USD, far exceeding other age groups. This group has become a primary target for scammers due to a lack of awareness about fraud prevention and unfamiliarity with new payment methods. They are also the most complained group in extortion/sexual extortion cases (20,445 cases, with losses amounting to 724,288,735 USD).

3. Analysis of Crime Types

1. Complaint Quantity Ranking

1. Phishing/Electronic Deception: 193,407 cases
2. Ransom: Starting at 86,415
3. Personal data leaks: 64,882 cases
4. Chargeback/Transaction Failure Fraud: 49,572 cases
5. Investment Fraud: 47,919 cases

2. Loss Amount Ranking

1. Investment fraud: $6.57 billion
2. Business Email Scams: $2.77 billion
3. Technical Support Scam: $1.46 billion
4. Personal data breach: $1.45 billion
5. Chargeback/Transaction Failure Fraud: $785 million

3. Crypto Assets related crimes

The most complaints are about extortion (47,054 cases) and investment fraud (41,557 cases). The largest losses were from investment scams ($5.8 billion) and personal data breaches ($1.1 billion).

The main types of scams encountered by people over 60 years old.

Most complaints: phishing, technical support, ransomware, personal data leakage, investment fraud. Maximum Loss: Investment Fraud, Technical Support, Romance Scam, Business Email Scam, Personal Data Leakage.

4. Online Fraud and Asset Recovery

1. Overall Situation of Internet Fraud

In 2024, a total of 333,981 complaints of online fraud were received, resulting in losses of 13.7 billion USD, accounting for 83% of the total losses for the year. The main transaction methods include Crypto Assets, wire transfers, and credit card payments.

2. Typical Scam Techniques

• Call Center Scams: 53,369 cases, losses of 1.9 billion USD
• Emergency Fraud (Impersonating Relatives for Help): 357 cases, loss of 2.7 million dollars
• Toll road fraud (SMS phishing): 59,271 cases, loss of $129,000
• Gold Express Fraud: 525 cases, loss of 219 million USD

3. Network Threats

Complaints related to cyber threats starting from 263,455 resulted in a loss of $1.571 billion. The main ransomware variants include Akira, LockBit, RansomHub, FOG, and PLAY.

4. Asset Recovery Results

• Relevant departments handled a total of 3,020 freezing requests, freezing funds of $560 million, with a recovery success rate of 66%.
• "Upgrade Action" successfully notified 4,323 Crypto Assets fraud victims, helping to recover approximately $285 million in potential losses.
• Collaborated with Indian law enforcement to combat call center fraud, arresting 215 people, a 700% increase year-on-year.
• Successfully froze and recovered multiple large amounts of funds in financial fraud projects.

5. Recommendations to Prevent Crypto Assets Fraud

In response to the prevalent situation of Crypto Assets scams, the following prevention suggestions are proposed:

1. Be vigilant and avoid the temptation of high returns: Investments that promise high returns with zero risk are often scams.
2. Verify the legitimacy of the trading platform: Use legitimate, regulated exchanges and avoid clicking on unknown links in social media advertisements.
3. Avoid transferring funds to strangers: Do not easily trust "investment mentors" or "friends" you meet online.
4. Be cautious with Crypto Assets ATM transactions: Scammers often ask victims to make payments through ATMs, so be sure to stay vigilant.
5. Use two-factor authentication: Enhance account security to prevent hacking.

Summary

The 2024 Crypto Assets Fraud Report reveals new trends in cybercrime in the current crypto assets environment: cases related to cryptocurrency have increased significantly, with the elderly population aged 60 and above becoming the primary victims; the methods of fraud have become highly specialized and internationalized, and at the same time, cryptocurrency has become the preferred tool for criminals to launder and transfer funds.

Although progress has been made in asset recovery and international law enforcement cooperation, ordinary users still need to remain highly vigilant in light of the overall scale of losses and growth trends. They must effectively enhance their security awareness to avoid falling into various scams. For governments and financial institutions, continuously strengthening international cooperation, regulatory enforcement, and tracking the flow of funds will be key measures to curb cybercrime and improve enforcement efficiency.