$68 billion stolen in scams in 2025: intelligence is no vaccine

The assumption that only naive or inexperienced people fall for scams ignores how this industry actually operates. Fraudsters do not need to convince the victim that they are a different person; often, it is enough to force the individual to act quickly before they have a chance to verify the information.

A new Gallup survey and recent psychological research paint a worrying picture: scams have become a multi-billion dollar industry affecting people of all education levels, incomes, and professions. The survey found that 6% of adults in the USA—about 15 million people—reported being victims of a scam in 2025. Another 4% said someone in their household was scammed, meaning one in ten Americans was affected that year. The survey was conducted among 5,173 adults in a representative national sample.

The total estimate of stolen funds stands at $68 billion per year, averaging $186 million every day. The average loss per scam reached $5,578, with forecasts for 2026 exceeding $100 billion.

Psychological Damage

Beyond financial loss, the research reveals deep psychological damage. 73% of victims reported a negative impact on their mental health (28% reported a very negative impact, 45% a moderate one). Even those not scammed personally were affected: 65% of victims' family members reported a negative impact on their mental well-being.

Households earning less than $80,000 a year were hit hardest. 21% of victims experienced severe financial distress, and 25% experienced moderate distress. Anger, anxiety, and shame were the most common emotional reactions, with shame often preventing victims from reporting the crime or seeking help.

The Brain Yields to Pressure

Dr. James Langber, a decision-making researcher, wrote in Psychology Today that scams target emotions and cognitive biases rather than intelligence. A promise of profit, fear of loss, a threat of account closure, or an appeal from a supposed authority are all designed to force a reaction before the victim checks the facts.

This is why the word 'urgent' appears repeatedly in scams. The goal is not to convince the victim, but to prevent them from having time to think. Langber suggests a simple rule: legitimate financial decisions almost never require action within seconds or minutes. If the other party is trying to prevent you from having time to verify, that in itself is a warning sign.

AI Lowers the Cost of Scams

Artificial intelligence did not invent social engineering, but it makes it cheaper and faster. In the past, phishing messages were often full of errors. Today, it is possible to produce a perfectly written message in seconds, in the victim's language and in the style of a bank or family member. AI tools also allow for the production of fake voices, images, and videos, and the management of many conversations simultaneously. The economic logic is clear: one criminal can reach more victims at a lower cost.

What Really Protects

The best protection is behavioral, not technological:

1. Introduce a pause. Any urgent request for money or personal details should trigger a red light.

2. Verify through an independent channel. Do not click links or call back the number that contacted you. Go directly to the official website or call the number on the back of your credit card.

3. Trust your gut. A Better Business Bureau survey found that most people who avoided being scammed simply felt that something 'didn't feel right' and ended the contact. This feeling is a defense mechanism.

Knowing that intelligence is not a vaccine is a defense tool in itself. Understanding that anyone can fall for a scam—even a doctor or a lawyer—makes one less inclined to ignore warning signs and more inclined to stop, verify, and consult before transferring money to someone they have never met.