FTC data: Median scam loss is now $1,480 per victim

Just saw the new FTC report for 2025. The median loss per scam victim hit $1,480 last year.

This isn't people losing twenty bucks to fake PayPal emails. These are sophisticated operations that build relationships over weeks or months before extracting serious money.

The psychology is getting more advanced too. They're not just mimicking banks anymore - they're creating entire fake customer service experiences, complete with hold music and multiple 'departments.'

Traditional scam detection tools catch around 44% of these. Real-time AI detection (like suss.) is hitting 94%+ but adoption is still low.

Source: FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2025