U.S. Can’t Keep Up With Scam Recoveries as Americans Lose Billions

Last year, Americans reported nearly $18 billion in cyber fraud losses to the FBI, amounting to more than $2 million every hour. At that rate, scammers will have stolen more than $150,000 by the time you finish reading this.

Unfortunately, if you become the next victim, the odds of getting your money back are slim. A new report shows that the U.S. government doesn’t even know how much money it has managed to recover.^[1] And where figures are available, the amounts are relatively small compared to how much Americans have lost to cyber scams.

Here’s everything you need to know about the reality of scam recoveries, along with steps you can take to keep yourself safe.

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The troubling reality of scam recovery in the U.S.

An investigation into the global scam industry by the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) of the U.S. Congress found that the government isn’t doing enough to fight cyber scams in the United States.

According to the report, it’s difficult for scam victims to get their money back, despite the increasing pace of seizures announced by various U.S. government agencies. The report also cited findings from the ongoing investigations by The Associated Press and FRONTLINE.

Various U.S. agencies have reported recovering or returning different amounts of money over the past few years:

1. The FBI returned $336 million to scam victims in 2025.
2. The FTC returned $1.83 billion to fraud victims in fiscal year 2025. However, how much of that came from overseas scam compounds remains unclear.
3. The Secret Service returned more than $770 million in seized assets to fraud victims in fiscal years 2024 and 2025 combined. However, this amount comes from various kinds of fraud, not just scams.
4. The State Department said that foreign law enforcement agencies receiving its support had seized proceeds worth the “low hundreds of millions of dollars.” However, for exact figures, researchers were told to refer to the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and the Treasury.

These figures amount to several billion dollars in reported returns and seizures, but they aren’t directly comparable. Some cover different time periods, and not all relate specifically to overseas scam compounds. When compared against the nearly $18 billion in cyber fraud losses reported to the FBI last year, the figures show just how difficult it is for victims to recover their money.

“Transnational criminal organizations run massive compounds that exploit U.S. technology, including AI, to carry out scams against Americans with devastating consequences,” Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan said in an email to ABC News.

Moreover, the government has no unified count of how much has been seized from overseas scam compounds or how much has actually been repaid to victims. Agencies work separately, and partnerships with tech, telecom, and financial companies remain voluntary.

Amid the increasing prevalence of scams, State Department cutbacks eliminated at least one program in Bangladesh that trained local police to investigate cyber fraud. A UN report last month identified the country as an emerging scam hub.

The report goes on to urge Congress to pass pending legislation, create a unified federal anti-scam strategy, and establish a central place for victims to report losses and get help.

Practical ways to protect yourself from scams

With various kinds of scams on the rise, it’s up to you to take preventive measures to avoid becoming a victim. Here are some steps you can take.

1. Don’t click on suspicious links: These links could lead to phishing pages designed to steal your credentials or sites that install malware on your device. Consider using one of the best third-party antivirus programs, as they typically offer real-time protection against known malicious links.
2. Use strong passwords: Reusing the same password across websites can cause even more damage if one of your accounts gets compromised. Use a reliable password manager to generate and store strong, unique passwords for each of your accounts.
3. Enable two-factor authentication: Turn on 2FA for your email, banking, and social media accounts. Even if a scammer gets hold of your password, they won’t be able to log in without a second authentication factor. An authenticator app is generally safer than traditional SMS codes, which can be intercepted through SIM-swapping attacks.
4. Report scams quickly: If you’ve been targeted or have lost money, contact your bank immediately and report the crime. Ask your bank to block affected cards or freeze accounts if necessary. You can also file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center or the FTC.
5. Use an identity theft protection service: If you want to be doubly sure that your personally identifiable information is protected, an identity theft protection tool can scan the dark web and other online databases and alert you if it finds your information. Some services can even help restore your identity with the help of dedicated identity restoration specialists.

The bottom line

Americans are losing billions of dollars to cyber scams, but a new report suggests that U.S. authorities still lack a coordinated approach to tackling the problem. Agencies don’t even have a unified count of how much money has been seized from overseas scam compounds or returned to victims. Meanwhile, cuts to overseas anti-scam programs could further complicate efforts to investigate these criminal networks.

This means that it’s up to you to take preventive measures to avoid becoming a victim. Don’t click on suspicious links from unknown senders, use strong, unique passwords, and consider getting third-party protection tools like an antivirus, password manager, and identity theft protection. If you ever become a victim, report the scam quickly to your bank and the FBI or FTC.

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Author Details

Krishi Chowdhary

About the Author

Krishi Chowdhary specializes in digital privacy, cybersecurity, and consumer technology. He has written extensively on online privacy tools and broader cybersecurity topics, including online scams, data breaches, age verification, and emerging digital threats. Krishi believes technology reporting should empower readers, not confuse them, and is committed to making even the most technical subjects easy to understand without compromising on accuracy or depth. His work has appeared in leading technology publications, including CNET, ExpressVPN, and TechRadar, where he has covered topics ranging from cybersecurity incidents and privacy product announcements to artificial intelligence and major technology news