Americans who fell victim to scams in 2025 lost more than money.Â
Many people who are scammed never tell anyone. Some feel embarrassed. Others blame themselves or worry they’ll be judged for falling victim to fraud
Those feelings appear to be widespread. A new report from Gallup and the Stop Scams Alliance found those feelings are common, with nearly three-quarters of scam victims saying the experience negatively affected their mental health or well-being. The report estimates scams cost Americans $68 billion in 2025
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About 15 million U.S. adults were personally scammed in 2025, while another 4% said someone else in their household was victimized, the report found
Altogether, about one in 10 U.S. adults said a scam affected their household, according to thereport.Â
Victims lost an average of $5,578 per scam, bringing total nationwide losses to about $68 billion, or roughly $186 million each day.Â
Researchers said the financial losses tell only part of the story.According to the report, 73% of people in scam-affected households said the experience had a negative impact on their mental health or well-being, including 28% who described the impact as very negative
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The Federal Trade Commissionhas reported that younger <a href="https://healthylife7.com/next-generation-of-obesity-drugs/” title=”Next Generation Of Obesity Drugs”>generations are more likely than older adults to report losing money to fraud, while older adults typically lose larger amounts.Â
<a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/news/public-safety/2025/07/16/texas-seniors-most-vulnerable-target-for-scammers-as-experts-urge-vigilance-education/” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>Related: Texas seniors most vulnerable target for scammers; experts urge vigilance, education
Researchers said the findings suggest the impact of scams extends well beyond financial losses, affecting victims emotionally even after the fraud ends.Â
A separate survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 58% of U.S. adults receive suspected scam attempts every day through phone calls, text messages, emails or online messages, and about three in 10 Americans have lost money or personal information to a scam at some point.Â
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The report also found that scams caused financial hardship for many families. Nearly half of scam-affected households said the incident created moderate or severe financial strain, with lower-income households reporting the greatest challenges.Â
Many victims never reported what happened
Related: World Cup 2026 could bring a spike in trafficking, scams, new report warnsAccording to the report, 75% of victims who did not report the scam said they believed reporting it would not help them recover their money, while 58% said they did not know where to report the crime. Only 13% contacted a federal agency, and 18% reported the scam to state or local law enforcement. The findings come as scam attempts have become a common part of daily life.
How to spot a scam
Be skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true.* Watch for pressure to act immediately or keep the request secret.*Never share personal, banking or login information because of an unexpected call, text, or email. *Avoid clicking links or downloading attachments from unknown senders.* Look for misspellings, unusual email addresses or requests for payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency or wire transfers
How to stop a scamÂ
*Verify requests independently. If someone claims to be from your bank, the IRS or another. company, hang up and contact the organization using its official phone number or website. *Use strong passwords. *Register your phone number with the “National Do Not Call Registry.” *Limit the amount of personal information you share on social media
