Americans lost nearly ₹1.98 lakh crore to cybercrime in 2025, with investment and tech-support fraud among the major threats.
How Much Did Americans Lose to Cybercrime?
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received 10,08,597 complaints in 2025, recording losses of approximately ₹1.98 lakh crore, an increase of 26% from 2024.
- Investment fraud accounted for approximately ₹81,538 crore, representing 41% of reported losses. Cryptocurrency investment scams alone caused losses of around ₹68,264 crore.
- Business email compromise followed with approximately ₹28,880 crore in losses, while technology-support fraud accounted for nearly ₹19,910 crore.
The FBI has linked major investment fraud operations to organised criminal networks in Southeast Asia, including operations involving trafficked individuals subjected to forced labour.
FCRF’s Chief AI Officer Certification Returns on November 14 to Prepare Future AI Leaders
What Is India’s Connection to These Scams?
Investigators have repeatedly traced fraudulent technology-support operations targeting American victims to call centres operating in India. In December 2025, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), working with the FBI, raided a Noida call centre and arrested six people.
The FBI said the network targeted more than 600 Americans, with victim complaints attributing losses exceeding ₹462 crore to the operation. The CBI estimated the defrauded amount at approximately ₹81 crore. However, IC3 classifies complaints by crime type rather than the nationality of perpetrators. Consequently, its figures cannot establish India’s share of overall American cybercrime losses.
Technology-support fraud represented approximately 10% of reported financial losses and 5% of complaints.
Why Are Older Americans Particularly Vulnerable?
Americans classified as elderly victims suffered approximately ₹73,452 crore in reported fraud losses during 2025, an increase of 59% from the previous year. Technology-support scams targeting seniors accounted for approximately ₹9,860 crore.
Earlier FBI findings indicated that 69% of technology-support fraud victims were aged 60 or above. These figures reflect reported losses, meaning the actual financial damage could be higher.
What Action Are Investigators Taking?
The FBI said cooperation with Indian agencies since 2022 has involved more than 1,200 information exchanges and over 475 arrests across 27 joint operations. Approximately 175 arrests occurred during 13 operations in 2025.
A separate July 2025 Noida operation targeting a call centre linked to British and other victims followed 18 months of cooperation involving the CBI, Britain’s National Crime Agency, the FBI and Microsoft.
In 2025, the IC3 Recovery Asset Team froze approximately ₹6,438 crore out of attempted thefts worth ₹11,026 crore. Separately, a US operation in April 2026 restrained cryptocurrency worth approximately ₹6,656 crore.
The420 Insight: The figures demonstrate the international nature of cybercrime, with victims, operators and financial transactions often spread across jurisdictions. India’s documented involvement in certain technology-support fraud networks does not establish responsibility for overall US cybercrime losses. Cross-border investigations and faster financial intervention remain central to tackling these operations.
Follow for daily updates on cybercrime, corporate fraud, DFIR, hacking, investigations, and digital forensics
