Your Grandma Just Lost Billions in Crypto, Who’s Next? 🤦‍♂️

by

So here’s the scoop: The IC3 got 33,369 complaints from folks over 60 who got scammed out of a whopping $2.84 billion. Yeah, billion with a B. And just for kicks, the 40 to 49 crowd chipped in $1.46 billion in losses. At this rate, why not just hand over your wallet to some guy in a trench coat asking for Bitcoin?

Crypto Fraud Is Like That One Friend Who Never Leaves — Up 47%

The IC3 tallied 149,686 crypto-related whammies in 2024, a 66% jump from last year. Losses? Oh, just a casual $9.3 billion — up from $5.6 billion in 2023. Who’s keeping score? Oh right, the scammers! Their greatest hits include fake investments, identity swaps, and crypto ATM tricks that snatched $247 million. The biggest villain? Crypto investment fraud, dragging in $5.8 billion, which is basically the fiscal equivalent of a punch to the gut — and it’s 47% worse than last year. Fantastic.

Seniors: The VIPs of Getting Scammed

Why the seniors? Well, they’re like a perfect storm: not exactly tech-savvy, sitting on retirement cash, and apparently still believe anything with a fancy suit and a smile is legit. Phishing, fake romance, bogus investments—you name it, the scammers are basically rolling out the red carpet. Meanwhile, seniors are like, “Hey, you must be trustworthy, you said so with a LinkedIn profile!”

FBI’s Brilliant Advice: Don’t Be Dumb and Don’t Give Out Your Password

The FBI is yelling from the rooftops: “Hey, older folks — maybe don’t hand your wallet over to a stranger peddling crypto gold.” Avoid sharing wallet access, watch out for those unsolicited investment calls, and if something smells fishy, report it. No, really, they want you to call the IC3. Apparently, “Education is the most effective weapon,” or as I call it, “Don’t be an idiot.”

Secure your internet browsing with a NordVPN subscription. [Learn more](https://pollinations.ai/redirect/432264)

Read More

2025-04-24 07:57