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The FBI reported more than $8 billion in losses to investment scams in 2025, but that figure is not an estimate of losses caused by AI. In the same report, investment complaints with a reported AI nexus accounted for more than $632 million in reported losses. AI can make a scam more convincing; it does not make every AI-themed investment fraudulent, or make a polished pitch trustworthy.
What the FBI’s $8 billion figure measures
These figures come from complaints reported to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), not a count of every fraud or a worldwide estimate. The AI-nexus category is based on how complaints were classified; it is not a forensic confirmation that AI caused every loss in that category.
| Reported category | Losses | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Investment scams | More than $8 billion | Overall reported investment-scam losses in the FBI IC3’s 2025 report; not an AI-only total. |
| Investment complaints with a reported AI nexus | More than $632 million | Reported losses in the AI-nexus subset in the FBI IC3’s 2025 report; not a verified total of all AI-caused fraud. |
| Cryptocurrency fraud | $9.3 billion across 149,686 complaints | A broader cryptocurrency-fraud category in the FBI IC3’s 2024 report. It is historical context, not an investment-scam or AI-specific figure. |
How AI may appear in an investment scam
Criminals can use generated text, images, audio, or video to make impersonation and social engineering more believable. The FBI has warned that scammers may produce fictitious profiles at scale, translate messages, build fraudulent investment websites, or add chatbots. Regulators have also warned about fake or altered endorsements and purported AI trading systems that promise extraordinary returns.
Those are possible tactics, not proof that AI was used in a particular case. A deepfake video, AI-written message, or convincing profile does not by itself prove fraud; an apparently authentic voice, video, website, or conversation does not prove an investment is legitimate either. There is no single reliable way established here to detect every AI-generated image, voice, or video.
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Red flags to check before investing
- Guaranteed or unusually high returns with little or no risk. The SEC, North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), and FINRA say: “Claims of high guaranteed investment returns with little or no risk are classic warning signs of fraud.” An “AI trading system can’t lose” is the same kind of promise, not evidence of a dependable strategy.
- Urgency, secrecy, or unsolicited contact. Be wary of pressure to act immediately, keep an opportunity private, or use a platform selected by someone who approached you online.
- Exclusive technology claims and manufactured proof. Fake testimonials, a deepfake endorsement, or a screenshot showing account profits do not establish that the investment or displayed balance is real.
- Unclear risks, custody, payments, or withdrawals. If you cannot explain how the strategy works, what you could lose, who holds the assets, and how withdrawals work, do not send money until you can verify the answers independently.
Verify the person, firm, and platform independently
- Look up the professional and firm using official resources. Use Investor.gov’s search tools and check the details against information obtained independently from the genuine firm—not phone numbers, links, or documents supplied by the promoter.
- Confirm the platform and payment route. Research the platform through sources beyond its own website, and contact the firm through independently verified details to confirm that the person, account, and investment offer are genuine.
- Check the claims, not just the branding. Compare the return claims with clearly stated risks and ask how the investment makes money. Verify source material across independent sources instead of relying on a chatbot or AI-generated summary.
- Read the withdrawal terms before committing. Understand who controls the account or assets, how and when you can withdraw, and what charges apply. Do not proceed if these terms are vague or keep changing.
Registration checks are a screening step, not a guarantee that an investment is safe or suitable. A copied registration number, displayed logo, supposed SEC certificate, or filing is not proof by itself: Investor.gov warns that the SEC does not issue registration certificates and that an SEC filing does not necessarily mean a firm or individual is registered. Even registered firms cannot guarantee amazing returns.
How relationship and crypto investment scams unfold
A relationship investment scam may start with an unsolicited text, social-media message, or conversation on a messaging app. After building trust, the person—or an associate presented as an expert—suggests an investment and steers the target to a controlled website or app. The account may display apparent profits, but those balances can be fabricated or manipulated.
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When the target tries to withdraw, the scammer may demand an additional payment for supposed taxes, fees, or release charges. The FBI has reported that victims in these schemes have been unable to recover funds even after paying demanded charges; Investor.gov warns that paying more usually leads to further losses. A displayed profit is not proof that funds exist or can be withdrawn.
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- Stop sending money. Do not pay another fee or tax to unlock displayed profits, and do not follow new payment instructions from the person who solicited you.
- Contact the relevant financial institution or platform promptly. Use contact information you obtain independently. Explain what happened and ask what steps, if any, are available for the payment method used. Recovery is not guaranteed.
- Preserve records. Save messages, emails, phone numbers, usernames, website and app details, receipts, transaction identifiers, wallet addresses where relevant, and the payment instructions. Keep a clear account of how contact began and how you were asked to pay.
- Report the matter through appropriate channels. For possible securities fraud, use the SEC’s online complaint channel, FINRA’s complaint form, or contact your state securities regulator. For internet-enabled fraud, file a report with FBI IC3 and include the identifying and transaction details you have. If you are outside the United States, use your own securities regulator and law-enforcement reporting channels.
Watch for a second scam promising to recover your money
After a loss, someone may claim to be a lawyer, regulator, government official, or recovery specialist and offer to retrieve the funds for an upfront fee. The FBI/IC3 says, “Law enforcement does not charge victims a fee for investigating crimes.” Treat an unsolicited recovery offer as a new claim to verify independently; do not pay or disclose banking or identity information based only on that approach.
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- Cover Fast: our identity protection rollers come in 2 different sizes, and you can choose different sizes according to different areas of information to cover large amounts of private information in a fast and clean way, avoiding identity theft and rejecting privacy disclosure harassment
- Easy to Use: just remove the lid on the ID stamp blocker roller and open it, and then gently slide it on the place where the information needs to be covered. It is suitable for most ordinary paper with black words, and can protect your personal privacy in time
- Save Time and Energy: compared with the shredder, the personal confidential stamp has a small size, easy to carry, can be applied anytime and anywhere. Compared to the marker, it covers a larger area and can be quickly covered with a single swipe. There is no need to worry about whether you can not protect your privacy in time
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