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These Are the Biggest Scams of the Year
In 2026, fraudsters are using artificial intelligence (AI) to put new spins on classic scams — and it could potentially cost you thousands of dollars. According to the latest data from the FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report:
Americans lost nearly $21 billion to fraud in 2025 — the highest-ever reported losses and a 26.5% increase from the previous year.
Losses from scams and fraud have risen every year for the past six years, increasing nearly 430% since 2020, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
With scammers constantly looking for new ways to target victims, one of the best things that you can do to stay safe is learn how to recognize the warning signs of common scams.
Here are the most dangerous scams facing Americans in 2026, according to the latest fraud reports from the FBI, FTC, Better Business Bureau (BBB), Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), and Aura’s own data.
1. Investment scams (especially cryptocurrency investments)
How the scam works: Scammers trick victims into investing in fraudulent assets, such as crypto exchanges or stocks, with the promise of guaranteed returns.
Investment scams are often the end goal of other schemes, such as romance and friendship scams, deep fake videos on social media, and scam investment groups on messaging apps like Telegram.
How dangerous is it? According to the FBI, in 2025, victims lost nearly $8.7 billion to investment scams. But what makes investment scams especially dangerous is reflected in the high number of victims that lost over $100,000 to these schemes.
What you can do to stay safe:
- Vet any investment advice. Be suspicious of anyone offering unsolicited investment advice — especially online. It’s easier than ever for scammers to fake screenshots of trading platforms or to spoof payout reports.
- Don’t trust immediate returns. Fraudsters often play the long game by releasing some of your “earnings” in order to bait you into investing higher sums (known as a “pig butchering scam”).
- Understand the risks. Scammers prey on people who are looking for quick, guaranteed wins — but there’s no such thing as a risk-free investment. With any investment opportunity comes a chance to lose your money.
2. AI-powered scams, deepfakes, and voice clones
How the scam works: Online scammers use artificial intelligence-powered tools to create highly believable scams. Some of the most common AI-powered scams in 2026 include:
- Deepfake job interviews. Scammers post fake job listings and then conduct video interviews using AI deepfake videos to convince applicants to share sensitive details or purchase equipment.
- “Digital arrest” scams. Fraudsters use AI tools to pose as law enforcement and then claim that victims are under “digital arrest” for online crimes — unless they pay a “security deposit” or “bail.”
- Fake influencer endorsements. Hackers use AI-created videos of celebrities such as Elon Musk or famous politicians to endorse fake products, giveaways, or investment opportunities.
- AI phone scams. Con artists use AI voice technology to pose as trusted authorities (or even family members) in order to get you to send them money or provide sensitive information.
How dangerous is it? For the first time ever, the FBI’s annual Internet Crime Report called out the impact of AI-powered scams with these statistics: 22,364 complaints and losses of nearly $893 million.
What you can do to stay safe:
- Look for glitches in video calls. This includes lip-syncing issues, unnaturally smooth or wrinkled skin, poor blending at the edges of the face, or strained and jerky movements.
- Listen for strange language. Be wary of awkward language, especially if someone claims to be a loved one or friend.
- Slow down. Most scammers try to create a sense of urgency to get you to act quickly and without thinking. Beware of any high-pressure tactics, such as threats or promises of too-good-to-be-true deals.
3. Tech support scams
How the scam works: Hackers use website pop-ups or messages to claim that there’s an issue with your device, and then provide a number for you to call to fix the problem. They may even claim to be from Apple, Microsoft, or the Best Buy Geek Squad. If you call, they’ll convince you to pay an upfront fee to “fix” it — or pressure you into downloading software that can give them remote access to your device.
A newer version of this scam, dubbed “ClickFix,” attempts to trick users into copying and executing malicious code, which allows scammers to infect their victims’ devices with malware without the need of a web browser.
How dangerous is it? Tech support scams can vary in severity, from a small fee paid for bogus support to scammers taking control of your device and draining your bank account. In 2025, victims lost over $2.1 billion to these scams, according to the FBI.
What you can do to stay safe:
- Know that legitimate tech companies won’t use pop-ups. According to the FTC, the most obvious sign of a tech support scam is an unprompted security warning asking you to call a number. These so-called warnings are always scams.
- Do your due diligence first. If you think you’re dealing with malware or another real issue, start by updating your device’s software and rebooting it. Then, run an antivirus scan. If you’re still having issues, reach out to a trusted company directly by using the contact details on its official website.
4. Romance scams
How the scam works: Fraudsters pose as love interests online in order to build an emotional connection and then convince victims to send money and gifts or supply passwords and other sensitive information.
Many romance scams in 2026 use AI-powered tools and scraped data to create fake personas and personalized attacks — for example, using information from social media profiles to tailor stories that will ensnare their victims.
How dangerous is it? Friends and family imposter scams were the most-reported types of fraud to the FTC in 2025, with over a million victims losing a total of $3.5 billion.
What you can do to stay safe:
- Research the person’s profile. Scammers often steal and use photos from other people’s social media profiles. Do a reverse image search of the person’s profile image to see if it shows up anywhere else.
- Never send money. If someone you’ve never met in person starts asking for money, cryptocurrency, or gift cards, it’s most certainly a scam.
- Don’t believe constant excuses. Fraudsters continually make up excuses as to why they can’t meet in person or go on video calls.
5. Business and government impersonation scams
How the scam works: If scammers aren’t impersonating love interests or family members, they’re often posing as legitimate businesses or government agencies. For example, the IRS’s “Dirty Dozen” list of top tax scams for 2026 warns of scammers posing as IRS agents who pressure victims into visiting fake IRS websites and submitting sensitive personal information.
How dangerous is it? According to the FBI’s latest data, there were 32,424 victims of government imposter scams in 2025, with total losses of just under $800 million.
What you can do to stay safe:
- Hang up and call back. If anyone calls you claiming to be from a trusted source, ask for their name or a case ID number and then hang up. Call back the company or agency by using its official contact details.
- Never click on unsolicited links. Any link that you didn’t request could contain malware or send you to a phishing website. Always navigate to a website directly, or log in to the company’s official app.
6. Text message phishing scams
How the scam works: Phishing scams occur when fraudsters contact victims and claim to be from a known business or trusted agency. While phishing can happen over phone calls, emails, or social media direct messages (DMs), text messages were the most common contact method for phishing attacks and scammers in 2025.
Common text message phishing scams include:
- Fake fraud alerts. Scammers send spoofed text messages that look like your bank’s fraud alerts. But when you call the number in the text, you’ll be connected to scammers who pressure you to share personal information or transfer your money to a “secure” account (that they control).
- Wrong number texts. Fraudsters send seemingly innocent messages or basic greetings to entice victims into engaging with them.
- Password reset or two-factor authentication (2FA) requests. These often contain links to fake bank account login pages designed to steal your credentials.
How dangerous is it? Text message-based phishing scams spiked by more than 67% in 2025 when compared to one year prior, with victims losing upwards of $639 million, according to the FTC.
What you can do to stay safe:
- Don’t click on links in text messages. Regard any unsolicited message containing links to be a massive red flag. Never click on them, and instead visit websites directly.
- Look for spoofed phone numbers. Check for long, unfamiliar, or faked phone numbers. If in doubt, conduct a Google search of the phone number and the company’s official contact details to see if they match what’s listed online.
- Ignore unexpected messages. Most companies or agencies won’t contact you unless you ask them to — especially via text message.
📚 Learn more about how to recognize the signs of a phishing email, text message, or phone call.
7. Fake employment scams
How the scam works: Scammers post fake job listings on platforms such as LinkedIn or Indeed in order to steal personal and financial details or pressure victims into paying for “equipment.”
A new twist on employment scams involves fake employers asking victims to open cryptocurrency accounts in order to get paid, which requires depositing funds first. When it’s time to withdraw their wages, victims are told that they need to deposit more money for “fees” or to cover taxes.
How dangerous is it? Fake employment scams were the second most-reported scams to the BBB’s Scam Tracker website, with victims losing an average of $1,500.
What you can do to stay safe:
- Research potential employers. Before sending sensitive or financial information, make sure you’re dealing with a legitimate company. Check official websites for job postings, and search reviews on third-party platforms (such as Trustpilot, Glassdoor, or the BBB).
- Don’t fall for “easy money” jobs. Scam job offers usually advertise high salaries, flexible hours, and opportunities to work from home — all benefits that can cause potential victims to overlook red flags.
8. Real estate scams
How the scam works: Fraudsters know that real estate transactions often involve massive wire transfers, so they impersonate agents in order to trick victims into wiring money to an account that they control.
In one example, victims received an email claiming to be from their attorney, which contained new account information for their $449,000 down payment wire transfer. But the money went to scammers instead.
How dangerous is it? Real estate scams are rarer than other types of fraud, but the losses are significantly higher. In 2026, the FBI reported just over 12,000 victims, but with losses in excess of $275 million.
What you can do to stay safe:
- Check account details before sending wires. Wire transfers are nearly instantaneous, making it difficult to get your money back if you send it to the wrong account.
- Whenever possible, make larger transactions in person. For example, use a certified bank draft and work directly with your realtor or real estate attorney.
9. Extortion scams
How the scam works: In this type of scam, online con artists claim to have incriminating photos, videos, or information about you that they threaten to leak to your contacts — unless you pay them.
In some cases, the threat is fake (such as the classic “hello pervert” scam, in which fraudsters claim to have recorded you visiting adult websites). In others, fraudsters trick victims into sending lewd photos or videos that they then use to extort them.
How dangerous is it? Extortion scams were the second most-reported scam to the FBI in 2025, with just under 90,000 victims losing more than $122 million. Sextortion-style scams were especially prevalent with younger victims in their teens and twenties.
What you can do to stay safe:
- Know that anything you send online could be shared. Before you send photos, videos, or information online, think about whether you’re prepared to have it leaked.
- Don’t give in to threats. Extortion scams are often empty threats that rely on your own sense of guilt.
- Avoid opening attachments. Scammers send threats in PDF attachments to bypass email spam filters. These attachments could also contain malware.
10. Recovery scams
How the scam works: Fraudsters search online for people posting about losing money in a scam and then offer services to help those victims “recover” their losses. In reality, scammers charge upfront for services that they can’t complete. Or worse, use the information you provide them with to steal even more from you.
How dangerous is it? Recovery scams are especially dangerous due to the fact that scammers know their targets have already been victimized once and will do anything to recover lost funds. In 2025, the FBI reported over $1.4 billion lost to recovery scams.
What you can do to stay safe:
- Go through official channels. If you’ve lost money to a scam, reach out to the financial institution or payment processor you used to send the funds. They should have a fraud department that can help you.
- Accept that the money is gone. If the payment processor can’t refund you, a stranger certainly won’t be able to help.
How To Spot a Scammer
Although online scams are getting more sophisticated every year, most con artists recycle the same social engineering strategies repeatedly. With enough information, you can recognize new scams as they appear.
Here are the most common red flags to look out for:
A strong sense of urgency
Scammers fabricate high-pressure situations like time-sensitive security alerts, urgent messages, or limited-time offers for amazing sweepstakes prizes. The moment you feel pressured to act quickly, take a step back and reevaluate.
Threats or scare tactics
Scammers often use fear to get you to act. They may call pretending to be law enforcement and threaten arrest, deportation, cancellation of your Social Security number (SSN), or some other dramatic consequence. Legitimate government agencies don’t do this.
Sob stories and excuses
Whether you’re buying and selling online, trying to find an apartment to rent, or looking for companionship on a dating platform, beware of anyone who uses a sob story or excuse to ask for money. Also, use caution if they avoid or postpone meeting in person.
Calls or messages from authoritative or trustworthy organizations
The sooner that scammers can establish trust or claim authority, the faster they can steal from you. Don’t give away any information, and never click on links before carefully verifying the source.
Asking for sensitive information
It’s not common practice for a legitimate agency or business to contact you out of the blue and request sensitive personal details or have you “confirm” payment information — but this is the bread and butter for all kinds of phishing scams.
Insisting on nontraditional payment methods
Using payment apps, gift cards, or wire transfers as payment for an online transaction with a stranger is extremely risky. Scammers prefer these payment methods because they’re immediate, irreversible, and lack the security that comes with transactions made via credit cards and debit cards.
Don’t Become a Victim: How To Protect Yourself From Scammers
There are few worse feelings than realizing you’ve been the victim of a scam. But fraudsters know that your personal information can be even more valuable than money.
Don’t wait for scammers to pounce. You can significantly reduce your chances of being victimized by a scam — but you have to think proactively. Here’s what to do:
- Freeze your credit with all three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion). A proactive credit freeze offers an easy way to prevent fraudsters from opening up new lines of credit or accounts in your name.
- Update your passwords, and enable two-factor authentication (2FA). Visit the settings menu for all of your accounts and apps, and choose the most secure options. Use a password manager to generate and store secure passwords.
- Keep tabs on data breach announcements. If your personal information is leaked, scammers can use it to target you. Run a free Dark Web scan to see if you’re at risk.
- Block spam and scam messages as much as possible. At a minimum, add your phone number to the FTC’s National Do Not Call Registry by visiting donotcall.gov. For more protection, consider a spam call and text blocker and email phishing protection.
- Consider signing up for an all-in-one identity theft protection solution. Aura provides robust protection for you and your family against scammers, fraudsters, and identity thieves — with AI-powered digital security, the industry’s fastest fraud alerts3, and up to $1,000,000 in insurance coverage for eligible losses due to identity theft.
