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FE D E R AL B U R E A U O F I N V E STI G A T I O N
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Contents
INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 3
THE IC3 ...................................................................................................................................................... 4
THE IC3 ROLE IN COMBATING CYBER CRIME............................................................................................. 5
IC3 CORE FUNCTIONS ................................................................................................................................ 6
IC3 COMPLAINT STATISTICS .......................................................................................................................... 7
Last 5 Years ................................................................................................................................................ 7
Top 5 Crime Type Comparison .................................................................................................................. 8
THREAT OVERVIEWS FOR 2021 ..................................................................................................................... 9
Business Email Compromise (BEC) ............................................................................................................ 9
IC3 RECOVERY ASSET TEAM ................................................................................................................ 10
RAT SUCCESSES ................................................................................................................................... 11
Confidence Fraud / Romance Scams ....................................................................................................... 12
Cryptocurrency (Virtual Currency) .......................................................................................................... 13
Ransomware ............................................................................................................................................ 14
Tech Support Fraud ................................................................................................................................. 17
IC3 by the Numbers ..................................................................................................................................... 18
2021 Victims by Age Group ......................................................................................................................... 19
2021 - Top 20 International Victim Countries ............................................................................................. 20
2021 - Top 10 States by Number of Victims ................................................................................................ 21
2021 - Top 10 States by Victim Loss in $ Millions ........................................................................................ 21
2021 CRIME TYPES ...................................................................................................................................... 22
2021 Crime Types continued ....................................................................................................................... 23
Last 3 Year Complaint Count Comparison ................................................................................................... 24
Last 3 Year Complaint Loss Comparison ...................................................................................................... 25
Overall State Statistics ................................................................................................................................. 26
Overall State Statistics continued ................................................................................................................ 27
Overall State Statistics continued ................................................................................................................ 28
Overall State Statistics continued ................................................................................................................ 29
Appendix A: Definitions ............................................................................................................................... 30
Appendix B: Additional Information about IC3 Data ................................................................................... 33
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INTRODUCT ION
Dear Reader,
In 2021, America experienced an unprecedented increase in cyber attacks and malicious cyber activity. These cyber
attacks compromised businesses in an extensive array of business sectors as well as the American public. As the cyber
threat evolves and becomes increasingly intertwined with traditional foreign intelligence threats and emerging
technologies, the FBI continues to leverage our unique authorities and partnerships to impose risks and consequences
on our nation’s cyber adversaries.
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) provides the American public with a direct outlet to report cyber
crimes to the FBI. We analyze and investigate the reporting to track the trends and threats from cyber criminals and
then share this data with our intelligence and law enforcement partners. The FBI, alongside our partners, recognizes
how crucial information sharing of cyber activities is to prepare our partners to combat the cyber threat, through a
whole-of-government approach. Critical to that approach is public reporting to IC3 - enabling us to fill in the missing
pieces with this valuable information during the investigatory process. Not only does this reporting help to prevent
additional crimes, it allows us to develop key insights on the ever-evolving trends and threats we face from malign
cyber actors.
In 2021, IC3 continued to receive a record number of complaints from the American public: 847,376 reported
complaints, which was a 7% increase from 2020, with potential losses exceeding $6.9 billion. Among the 2021
complaints received, ransomware, business e-mail compromise (BEC) schemes, and the criminal use of
cryptocurrency are among the top incidents reported. In 2021, BEC schemes resulted in 19,954 complaints with an
adjusted loss of nearly $2.4 billion.
IC3’s commitment to cyber victims and partnerships allow for the continued success through programs such as the
IC3’s Recovery Asset Team (RAT). Established in 2018, RAT streamlines communications with financial institutions and
FBI field offices to assist freezing of funds for victims. In 2021, the IC3’s RAT initiated the Financial Fraud Kill Chain
(FFKC) on 1,726 BEC complaints involving domestic to domestic transactions with potential losses of $443,448,237. A
monetary hold was placed on approximately $329 million, which represents a 74% success rate.
In 2021, heightened attention was brought to the urgent need for more cyber incident reporting to the federal
government. Cyber incidents are in fact crimes deserving of an investigation, leading to judicial repercussions for the
perpetrators who commit them. Thank you to all those readers who reported crimes to IC3 throughout the year.
Without this reporting, we could not be as effective in ensuring consequences are imposed on those perpetrating
these attacks and our understanding of these threats would not be as robust. Please visit IC3.gov to access the latest
information on criminal internet activity.
The FBI’s Cyber Division is working harder than ever to protect the American public and to instill safety, security, and
confidence in a digitally connected world. We encourage everyone to use IC3 and reach out to their local FBI field
office to report malicious activity. Together we can continue to create a safer and more secure cyber landscape.
Paul Abbate
Deputy Director
Federal Bureau of Investigation
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THE IC3
Today’s FBI is an intelligence-driven and threat focused national security organization with both intelligence
and law enforcement responsibilities. We are focused on protecting the American people from terrorism,
espionage, cyber attacks and major criminal threats, and on supporting our many partners with
information, services, support, training, and leadership. The IC3 serves those needs as a mechanism to
gather intelligence on cyber and internet crime so we can stay ahead of the threat.
The IC3 was established in May 2000 to receive complaints of internet related crime and has received more
than 6.5 million complaints since its inception. Its mission is to provide the public with a reliable and
convenient reporting mechanism to submit information to the FBI concerning suspected cyber enabled
criminal activity, and to develop effective alliances with law enforcement and industry partners to help
those who report. Information is analyzed and disseminated for investigative and intelligence purposes for
law enforcement and for public awareness.
To promote public awareness, the IC3 aggregates the submitted data and produces an annual report to
educate on the trends impacting the public. The quality of the data is directly attributable to the
information ingested via the public interface, www.ic3.gov, and the data categorized based on the
information provided in the individual complaints. The IC3 staff analyzes the data to identify trends in cyber
crimes and how those trends may impact the public in the coming year.
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THE IC3 R OLE IN C OM BA TING CYBER CRI ME
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What we do
Partner with Private Sector and with Local,
State, Federal, and International Agencies
Host a Portal where Victims Report
Internet Crime at www.ic3.gov
Provide a Central Hub to Alert the Public
Perform Analysis, Complaint Referrals, and
Aid the Freezing of Assets
Host a Remote Access Database for all Law
Enforcement via the FBI's LEEP website
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Accessibility description: Image lists IC3’s primary functions including partnering with private sector and with local,
state, federal, and international agencies: hosting a victim reporting portal at www.ic3.gov; providing a central hub to
alert the public to threats; Perform Analysis, Complaint Referrals, and Asset Recovery; and hosting a remote access
database for all law enforcement via the FBI’s LEEP website.
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IC3 CORE FUNCTIONS
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2
Accessibility description: Image contains icons with the core functions. Core functions - Collection, Analysis, Public
Awareness, and Referrals - are listed in individual blocks as components of an ongoing process.
COLLECTION
ANALYSIS
PUBLIC
AWARENESS
REFERRALS
The IC3 is the central
point for Internet crime
victims to report and
alert the appropriate
agencies to suspected
criminal Internet activity.
Victims are encouraged
and often directed by
law enforcement to file a
complaint online at
www.ic3.gov.
Complainants are asked
to document accurate
and complete
information related to
Internet crime, as well as
any other relevant
information necessary to
support the complaint.
The IC3 reviews and
analyzes data
submitted through
its website to
identify emerging
threats and new
trends. In addition,
the IC3 quickly alerts
financial Institutions
to fraudulent
transactions which
enables the freezing
of victim funds.
Public service
announcements,
industry alerts, and
other publications
outlining specific scams
are posted to the
www.ic3.gov website.
As more people
become aware of
Internet crimes and the
methods used to carry
them out, potential
victims are equipped
with a broader
understanding of the
dangers associated with
Internet activity and are
in a better position to
avoid falling prey to
schemes online.
The IC3 aggregates
related complaints to
build referrals, which
are forwarded to
local, state, federal,
and international law
enforcement
agencies for potential
investigation. If law
enforcement
investigates and
determines a crime
has been committed,
legal action may be
brought against the
perpetrator.
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IC3 COMPLAINT STATISTICS
LAST 5 YEAR S
Over the last five years, the IC3 has received an average of 552,000 complaints per year. These complaints
address a wide array of Internet scams affecting victims across the globe.
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3
Accessibility description: Chart includes yearly and aggregate data for complaints and losses over the years 2017 to
2021. Over that time, IC3 received a total of 2,760,044 complaints, reporting a loss of $18.7 billion.
$6.9 Billion
$4.2 Billion
$3.5 Billion
$2.7 Billion
$1.4 Billion
847,376
791,790
467,361
351,937
301,580
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
Complaints and Losses over the Last Five Years
Complaints Losses
2.76 Million
Total Complaints
$18.7 Billion
Total Losses
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TOP 5 CRIME TYPE COMPAR SON
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Accessibility description: Chart includes a victim loss comparison for the top five reported crime types for the years
of 2017 to 2021.
25,344
84,079
30,904
17,636
14,938
26,379
65,116
50,642
16,128
51,146
114,702
61,832
38,218
16,053
43,101
241,342
108,869
45,330
43,330
76,741
323,972
82,478
51,829
51,629
39,360
Phishing/Vishing/
Smishing/Pharming
Non-Payment/
Non-Delivery
Personal Data
Breach
Identity Theft
Extortion
Top 5 Crime Types Compared with the Previous Five Years
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
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THREAT OVERVIEWS FOR 2021
BUSINESS EMAIL COMPROMISE (BE C)
In 2021, the IC3 received 19,954 Business Email Compromise (BEC)/ Email Account
Compromise (EAC) complaints with adjusted losses at nearly $2.4 billion. BEC/EAC is a
sophisticated scam targeting both businesses and individuals performing transfers of
funds. The scam is frequently carried out when a subject compromises legitimate business
email accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion techniques to conduct
unauthorized transfers of funds.
As fraudsters have become more sophisticated and preventative measures have been put in place, the
BEC/EAC scheme has continually evolved in kind. The scheme has evolved from simple hacking or spoofing
of business and personal email accounts and a request to send wire payments to fraudulent bank accounts.
These schemes historically involved compromised vendor emails, requests for W-2 information, targeting
of the real estate sector, and fraudulent requests for large amounts of gift cards. Now, fraudsters are using
virtual meeting platforms to hack emails and spoof business leaders’ credentials to initiate the fraudulent
wire transfers. These fraudulent wire transfers are often immediately transferred to cryptocurrency wallets
and quickly dispersed, making recovery efforts more difficult.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions on in-person meetings led to increases in telework or virtual
communication practices. These work and communication practices continued into 2021, and the IC3 has
observed an emergence of newer BEC/EAC schemes that exploit this reliance on virtual meetings to instruct
victims to send fraudulent wire transfers. They do so by compromising an employer or financial director’s
email, such as a CEO or CFO, which would then be used to request employees to participate in virtual
meeting platforms. In those meetings, the fraudster would insert a still picture of the CEO with no audio,
or a “deep fake” audio through which fraudsters, acting as business executives, would then claim their
audio/video was not working properly. The fraudsters would then use the virtual meeting platforms to
directly instruct employees to initiate wire transfers or use the executives’ compromised email to provide
wiring instructions.
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I C 3 R E C O V E R Y A S S E T T E A M
The Internet Crime Complaint Center’s Recovery Asset Team (RAT) was established in February 2018 to
streamline communication with financial institutions and assist FBI field offices with the freezing of funds
for victims who made transfers to domestic accounts under fraudulent pretenses.
RAT Process
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The RAT functions as a liaison between law enforcement and financial institutions supporting statistical and
investigative analysis.
Goals of RAT-Financial Institution Partnership
• Assist in the identification of potentially fraudulent accounts across the sector.
• Remain at the forefront of emerging trends among financial fraud schemes.
• Foster a symbiotic relationship in which information is appropriately shared.
Guidance for BEC Victims
• Contact the originating financial institution as soon as fraud is recognized to request a recall or
reversal and a Hold Harmless Letter or Letter of Indemnity.
• File a detailed complaint with www.ic3.gov. It is vital the complaint contain all required data in
provided fields, including banking information.
• Visit www.ic3.gov for updated PSAs regarding BEC trends as well as other fraud schemes targeting
specific populations, like trends targeting real estate, pre-paid cards, and W-2s, for example.
• Never make any payment changes without verifying the change with the intended recipient; verify
email addresses are accurate when checking email on a cell phone or other mobile device
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Accessibility description: Image shows the different stages of a complaint in the RAT process.
* If criteria is met, transaction details are forwarded to the identified point of contact at the recipient
bank to notify of fraudulent activity and request freezing of the account. Once response is received
from the recipient bank, RAT contacts the appropriate FBI field office(s).
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R A T S U C C E S S ES
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The IC3 RAT has proven to be a valuable resource for field offices and victims. The following are three
examples of the RAT’s successful contributions to investigative and recovery efforts:
Philadelphia
In December 2021, the IC3 received a complaint filed by a victim roadway commission regarding a wire
transfer of more than $1.5 million to a fraudulent U.S. domestic bank account. The IC3 RAT quickly notified
the recipient financial institution of the fraudulent account by initiating the financial fraud kill chain.
Collaboration between the IC3 RAT, the recipient financial institution, and the Philadelphia Field office
resulted in learning the subject quickly depleted the wired funds from the original account into two
separate accounts held at the same institution. The financial institution was able to quickly identify the
second-hop accounts and freeze the funds, making a full recovery possible.
Memphis
In June 2021, the IC3 received a complaint filed by a victim law office regarding a wire transfer of more
than $198k to a fraudulent U.S. domestic account. IC3 RAT collaboration with the Memphis Field Office and
the recipient financial institution resulted in learning the domestic account was a correspondent account
for a fraudulent account in Nigeria. IC3 RAT immediately initiated the international FFKC to FinCEN and
LEGAT Abuja, which resulted in freezing the full wired amount. The victim forwarded a note of gratitude
for all the work put into their case.
Albany
In October 2021, the IC3 received a complaint filed by a victim of a tech support scam where an
unauthorized wire transfer of $53k was sent from their account to a U.S. domestic custodial account held
by a cryptocurrency exchange (CE). The IC3 RAT immediately notified the recipient financial institution and
collaborated with the CE that held the account. With the knowledge that funds sent to cryptocurrency
accounts will be depleted to crypto faster than the usual wire transfer gets depleted, the immediate efforts
of initiating the financial fraud kill chain with the CE resulted in the freezing of the funds in the custodial
account before they could be depleted to purchase or withdraw cryptocurrency. Further collaboration with
the domestic financial institution and the Albany Field Office confirmed the funds were frozen in the
account, making a full recovery possible.
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Accessibility description: Image shows Success to Date to include 74% Success Rate; 1,726 Incidents; $433.48 Million
in Losses; and $328.32. Million Frozen.
$115.12
Million
$328.32
Million
Remaining Losses Frozen Funds
Success to Date
74% Success Rate
1,726 Incidents
$443.48 Million Losses
$328.32 Million Frozen
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CON FI DENCE FRAUD / ROMANCE SCA MS
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Confidence Fraud/Romance scams encompass those designed to pull on a
victim’s “heartstrings.” In 2021, the IC3 received reports from 24,299 victims
who experienced more than $956 million in losses to Confidence
Fraud/Romance scams. This type of fraud accounts for the third highest losses
reported by victims.
Romance scams occur when a criminal adopts a
fake online identity to gain a victim’s affection
and confidence. The scammer uses the illusion of
a romantic or close relationship to manipulate
and/or steal from the victim. The criminals who
carry out Romance scams are experts at what
they do and will seem genuine, caring, and
believable. The scammer’s intention is to quickly
establish a relationship, endear himself/herself
to the victim, gain trust, and eventually ask for
money. Scammers may propose marriage and make plans to meet in person, but that will never happen.
Scam artists often say they are in the military, or a trades-based industry engaged in projects outside the
U.S. That makes it easier to avoid meeting in person—and more plausible when they request money be
sent overseas for a medical emergency or unexpected legal fee. Grandparent Scams also fall into this
category, where criminals impersonate a panicked loved one, usually a grandchild, nephew, or niece of an
elderly person. The loved one claims to be in trouble and needs money immediately.
Con artists are present on most dating and social media sites. In 2021, the IC3 received thousands of
complaints from victims of online relationships resulting in sextortion or investment scams.
• Sextortion occurs when someone threatens to distribute your private and sensitive material if their
demands are not met. In 2021, the IC3 received more than 18,000 sextortion-related complaints,
with losses over $13.6 million. Please see the September 2021 IC3 PSA on Sextortion for more
information.
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• Many victims of Romance scams also report being pressured into investment opportunities,
especially using cryptocurrency. In 2021, the IC3 received more than 4,325 complaints, with losses
over $429 million, from Confidence Fraud/Romance scam victims who also reported the use of
investments and cryptocurrencies, or “pig butchering” –so named because victims’ investment
accounts are fattened up before draining, much a like a pig before slaughter. Additional
information on “pig butchering” can be found in the September 2021 IC3 PSA I-091621-PSA.
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Accessibility description: Chart shows Confidence Fraud/Romance Scam Victim by Reported Age Group. Under 20
2%; 20-29 10%; 30-39 15%; 40-49 15%; 50-59 16%; Over 60 32%
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FBI Warns about an Increase in Sextortion Complaints. https://www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2021/PSA210902
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Scammers Defraud Victims of Millions of Dollars in New Trend in Romance Scams.
2%
10%
15%
15%
16%
32%
Confidence Fraud/Romance Scam
Victims by Reported Age Group
Under 20 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 Over 60
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CRYPTOCURRENCY (VIRTUAL C URRENCY)
In 2021, the IC3 received 34,202 complaints involving the use of some type of
cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, or Ripple. While that number
showed a decrease from 2020’s victim count (35,229), the loss amount reported in IC3
complaints increased nearly seven-fold, from 2020’s reported amount of $246,212,432,
to total reported losses in 2021 of more than $1.6 billion.
Initially worth only fractions of pennies on the dollar, several cryptocurrencies have seen their values
increase substantially, sometimes exponentially. Once limited to hackers, ransomware groups, and other
denizens of the “dark web,” cryptocurrency is becoming the preferred payment method for all types of
scams – SIM swaps, tech support fraud, employment schemes, romance scams, even some auction fraud.
It is extremely pervasive in investment scams, where losses can reach into the hundreds of thousands of
dollars per victim. The IC3 has noted the following scams particularly using cryptocurrencies.
• Cryptocurrency ATMs: Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) used to purchase cryptocurrency are
popping up everywhere. Regulations on the machines are lax and purchases are almost
instantaneous and irreversible, making this payment method lucrative to criminals. In 2021, the
IC3 received more than 1,500 reports of scams using crypto ATMs, with losses of approximately
$28 million. The most common scams reported were Confidence Fraud/Romance, Investment,
Employment, and Government Impersonation. Read more about crypto ATM scams in IC3 PSA I-
110421-PSA.
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• Cryptocurrency support impersonators: Increasingly, crypto owners are falling victim to scammers
impersonating support or security from cryptocurrency exchanges. Owners are alerted of an issue
with their crypto wallet and are convinced to either give access to their crypto wallet or transfer
the contents of their wallet to another wallet to “safeguard” the contents. Crypto owners are also
searching online for support with their cryptocurrencies. Owners contact fake support numbers
located online and are convinced to give up login information or control of their crypto accounts.
• Many victims of Romance scams also report being pressured into investment opportunities,
especially using cryptocurrency. In 2021, the IC3 received more than 4,325 complaints, with losses
over $429 million, from Confidence Fraud/Romance scam victims who also reported the use of
investments and cryptocurrencies, or “pig butchering.” The scammer's initial contact is typically
made via dating apps and other social media sites. The scammer gains the confidence and trust of
the victim, and then claims to have knowledge of cryptocurrency investment or trading
opportunities that will result in substantial profits.
https://www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2021/PSA210916
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The FBI Warns of Fraudulent Schemes Leveraging Cryptocurrency ATMs and QR Codes to Facilitate Payment
https://www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2021/PSA211104
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RANSO MWAR E
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In 2021, the IC3 received 3,729 complaints identified as ransomware with adjusted losses
of more than $49.2 million. Ransomware is a type of malicious software, or malware, that
encrypts data on a computer, making it unusable. A malicious cyber criminal holds the data
hostage until the ransom is paid. If the ransom is not paid, the victim’s data remains
unavailable. Cyber criminals may also pressure victims to pay the ransom by threatening to
destroy the victim’s data or to release it to the public.
Ransomware tactics and techniques continued to evolve in 2021, which demonstrates ransomware threat
actors’ growing technological sophistication and an increased ransomware threat to organizations globally.
Although cyber criminals use a variety of techniques to infect victims with ransomware, phishing emails,
Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) exploitation, and exploitation of software vulnerabilities remained the top
three initial infection vectors for ransomware incidents reported to the IC3. Once a ransomware threat
actor has gained code execution on a device or network access, they can deploy ransomware. Note: these
infection vectors likely remain popular because of the increased use of remote work and schooling starting
in 2020 and continuing through 2021. This increase expanded the remote attack surface and left network
defenders struggling to keep pace with routine software patching.
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Ransomware and Critical Infrastructure Sectors
In June 2021, the IC3 began tracking reported ransomware incidents in which the victim was a member of
a critical infrastructure sector. There are 16 critical infrastructure sectors whose assets, systems, and
networks, whether physical or virtual, are considered so vital to the United States that their incapacitation
or destruction would have a debilitating effect on our security, national economy, public health or safety,
or any combination thereof.
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Accessibility description: Image shows actions you can Take to Protect Against Ransomware: Update your operating
system. Implement user training and phishing exercises to raise awareness, secure and monitor Remote Desktop
Protocol (DDP) if used, and make an offline backup of our data.
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2021 Trends Show Increased Globalized Threat of Ransomware.
https://www.ic3.gov/Media/News/2022/220209.pdf
Immediate Actions You Can Take Now to
Protect Against Ransomware:
• Update your operating system and software.
• Implement user training and phishing exercises to raise awareness
about the risks of suspicious links and attachments.
• If you use Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), secure and monitor it.
• Make an offline backup of your data.
• Use multifactor authentication (MFA).
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In October 2021, the IC3 posted a Joint Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) to ic3.gov regarding ongoing cyber
threats to U.S. Water and Wastewater Systems. In September 2021, the IC3 posted a Private Industry
Notification (PIN) which warned that ransomware attacks targeting the Food and Agriculture sector disrupt
operations, cause financial loss, and negatively impact the food supply chain. In May 2021, the IC3 posted
an FBI Liaison Alert System (FLASH) report that advised the FBI identified at least 16 CONTI ransomware
attacks targeting US Healthcare and First Responder networks, including law enforcement agencies,
emergency medical services, 9-1-1 dispatch centers, and municipalities within the last year. And in March
2021, the IC3 posted a FLASH warning that FBI reporting indicated an increase in PYSA ransomware
targeting education institutions in 12 US states and the United Kingdom.
The IC3 received 649 complaints that indicated organizations belonging to a critical infrastructure sector
were victims of a ransomware attack. Of the 16 critical infrastructure sectors, IC3 reporting indicated 14
sectors had at least 1 member that fell victim to a ransomware attack in 2021.
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13
Accessibility description: Chart shows Infrastructure Sectors Victimized by Ransomware. Healthcare and Public
Health was highest with 148 followed by Financial Services 89; Information Technology 74; Critical Manufacturing 65;
Government Facilities 60; Commercial Facilities 56; Food and Agriculture 52; Transportation 38; Energy 31;
Communications 17; Chemical 12; Water and Wastewater Systems 4; Emergency Services 2; Defense Industrial Base
1.
148
89
74
65
60
56
52
38
31
17
12
4
2
1
Healthcare and Public Health
Financial Services
Information Technology
Critical Manufacturing
Government Facilities
Commercial Facilities
Food and Agriculture
Transportation
Energy
Communications
Chemical
Water and Wastewater Systems
Emergency Services
Defense Industrial Base
Infrastructure Sectors Victimized by Ransomware
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Of the known ransomware variants reported to IC3, the three top variants that victimized a member of a
critical infrastructure sector were CONTI, LockBit, and REvil/Sodinokibi.
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According to information submitted to the IC3, CONTI most frequently victimized the Critical
Manufacturing, Commercial Facilities, and Food and Agriculture sectors. LockBit most frequently victimized
the Government Facilities, Healthcare and Public Health, and Financial Services sectors. REvil/Sodinokibi
most frequently victimized the Financial Services, Information Technology, and Healthcare and Public
Health sectors.
Of all critical infrastructure sectors reportedly victimized by ransomware in 2021, the Healthcare and Public
Health, Financial Services, and Information Technology sectors were the most frequent victims. The IC3
anticipates an increase in critical infrastructure victimization in 2022.
The FBI does not encourage paying a ransom to criminal actors. Paying a ransom may embolden adversaries
to target additional organizations, encourage other criminal actors to engage in the distribution of
ransomware, and /or fund illicit activities. Paying the ransom also does not guarantee that a victim’s files
will be recovered. Regardless of whether you or your organization have decided to pay the ransom, the FBI
urges you to report ransomware incidents to your local FBI field office or the IC3. Doing so provides
investigators with the critical information they need to track ransomware attackers, hold them accountable
under U.S. law, and prevent future attacks.
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Accessibility description: Chart shows top variants Victimizing Critical Infrastructure 2021 Incidents.
REvil/Sodinokibi, Locbit, and CONTI.
87
58
51
CONTI
LOCKBIT
REVIL / SODINOKIBI
Top Ransomware Variants Victimizing Critical Infrastructure
2021 Incidents
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TECH SUPPORT F RA UD
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Tech Support Fraud involves a criminal claiming to provide customer, security, or
technical support or service to defraud unwitting individuals. Criminals may pose as
support or service representatives offering to resolve such issues as a compromised
email or bank account, a virus on a computer, or a software license renewal.
Many victims report being directed to make wire transfers to overseas accounts or
purchase large amounts of prepaid cards. In 2021, the IC3 received 23,903 complaints related to Tech
Support Fraud from victims in 70 countries. The losses amounted to more than $347 million, which
represents a 137 percent increase in losses from 2020. Most victims, almost 60 percent, report to be over
60 years of age, and experience at least 68 percent of the losses (almost $238 million).
Tech support scammers continue to impersonate well-known tech companies, offering to fix non-existent
technology issues or renew fraudulent software or security subscriptions. However, in 2021, the IC3
observed an increase in complaints reporting the impersonation of customer support, which has taken on
a variety of forms, such as financial and banking institutions, utility companies, or virtual currency
exchanges.
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Accessibility description: Chart shows Tech Support Losses Over Past 5 Years.
2021 $347,657,432; 2020 $146,477,709; 2019 $54,041,053; 2018 $38,697,026; 2017 $14,810,080.
$14,810,080
$38,697,026
$54,041,053
$146,477,709
$347,657,432
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Tech Support Losses Over Past 5 Years
FE D E R AL B U R E A U O F I N V E STI G A T I O N
18
IC3 by the Numbers
16
$6.9 Billion
Victim losses in 2021
2,300+
Average complaints received daily
552,000+
Average complaints received per year (last 5 years)
Over 6.5 Million
Complaints reported since inception
16
Accessibility description: Image depicts key statistics regarding complaints and victim loss. Total losses of $6.9
billion were reported in 2021. The total number of complaints received since the year 2000 is over 6.5 million. IC3
has received approximately 552,000 complaints per year on average over the last five years, or more than 2,300
complaints per day.
2 0 2 1 I NTE R N E T C R I M E RE P O R T
19
2021 Victims by Age Group
17
17
Not all complaints include an associated age range—those without this information are excluded from this table.
Please see Appendix B for more information regarding IC3 data.
Accessibility description: Chart shows number of complaints and Loss for Victims by Age Group. Under 20 14,919
victims $101.4 Million losses; 20-29 69,390 Victims $431.1. Million losses; 30-39 88,448 Victims $937.3 Million losses;
40-49 89,184 victims $1.19 Billion losses; 50-59 74,460 Victims $1.26 Billion losses; 60+ 92,371 Victims $1.68 Billion
losses.
◼
Complaints
◼
Losses
FE D E R AL B U R E A U O F I N V E STI G A T I O N
20
2021 - Top 20 International Victim Countries
18
Compared to the United States
18
Accessibility description: The charts list the top 20 countries by number of total victims as compared to the United
States. The specific number of victims for each country are listed in ascending order to the right of the graph. Please
see Appendix B for more information regarding IC3 data.
5,788
3,131
2,204
1,972
1,790
1,429
1,326
1,053
1,051
673
585
571
560
538
530
517
443
422
419
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000
Canada
India
Australia
France
South Africa
Germany
Mexico
Brazil
Philippines
Netherlands
Greece
China
Spain
Argentina
Pakistan
Italy
Malaysia
Turkey
Japan
466,501
303,949
25,002
0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000
United States
United Kingdom
Others from Above
< Ten Thousand
> Ten Thousand
2 0 2 1 I NTE R N E T C R I M E RE P O R T
21
2021 - Top 10 States by Number of Victims
19
2021 - Top 10 States by Victim Loss in $ Millions
20
19
Accessibility description: Chart depicts the top 10 states based on number of reporting victims are labeled. These
include California, Florida, Texas, New York, Illinois, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, and New Jersey. Please
see Appendix B for more information regarding IC3 data.
20
Accessibility description: Chart depicts the top 10 states based on reported victim loss are labeled. These include
California, Texas, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois, Michigan, Virginia, and Washington. Please see
Appendix B for more information regarding IC3 data.
67,095
45,855
41,148
29,065
17,999
17,706
17,510
17,262
13,903
12,817
0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 70,000 80,000
California
Florida
Texas
New York
Illinois
Nevada
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Washington
New Jersey
$1,228.0
$606.2
$560.0
$528.6
$207.0
$203.5
$184.9
$181.6
$172.8
$157.5
$0 $200 $400 $600 $800 $1,000 $1,200 $1,400
California
Texas
New York
Florida
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Illinois
Michigan
Virginia
Washington
FE D E R AL B U R E A U O F I N V E STI G A T I O N
22
2021 CRIME TYPES
By Victim Count
Crime Type
Victims
Crime Type
Victims
Phishing/Vishing/Smishing/Pharming
323,972
Government Impersonation
11,335
Non-Payment/Non-Delivery
82,478
Advanced Fee
11,034
Personal Data Breach
51,829
Overpayment
6,108
Identity Theft
51,629
Lottery/Sweepstakes/Inheritance
5,991
Extortion
39,360
IPR/Copyright and Counterfeit
4,270
Confidence Fraud/Romance
24,299
Ransomware
3,729
Tech Support
23,903
Crimes Against Children
2,167
Investment
20,561
Corporate Data Breach
1,287
BEC/EAC
19,954
Civil Matter
1,118
Spoofing
18,522
Denial of Service/TDoS
1,104
Credit Card Fraud
16,750
Computer Intrusion
979
Employment
15,253
Malware/Scareware/Virus
810
Other
12,346
Health Care Related
578
Terrorism/Threats of Violence
12,346
Re-shipping
516
Real Estate/Rental
11,578
Gambling
395
Descriptors*
Social Media
36,034
Virtual Currency
34,202
*These descriptors relate to the medium or tool used to facilitate the crime and are used by the IC3 for tracking purposes
only. They are available as descriptors only after another crime type has been selected. Please see Appendix B for more
information regarding IC3 data.
2 0 2 1 I NTE R N E T C R I M E RE P O R T
23
2021 Crime Types continued
By Victim Loss
Crime Type
Loss
Crime Type
Loss
BEC/EAC
$2,395,953,296
Lottery/Sweepstakes/Inheritance
$71,289,089
Investment
$1,455,943,193
Extortion
$60,577,741
Confidence Fraud/Romance
$956,039,740
Ransomware
*$49,207,908
Personal Data Breach
$517,021,289
Employment
$47,231,023
Real Estate/Rental
$350,328,166
Phishing/Vishing/Smishing/Pharming
$44,213,707
Tech Support
$347,657,432
Overpayment
$33,407,671
Non-Payment/Non-Delivery
$337,493,071
Computer Intrusion
$19,603,037
Identity Theft
$278,267,918
IPR/Copyright/Counterfeit
$16,365,011
Credit Card Fraud
$172,998,385
Health Care Related
$7,042,942
Corporate Data Breach
$151,568,225
Malware/Scareware/Virus
$5,596,889
Government Impersonation
$142,643,253
Terrorism/Threats of Violence
$4,390,720
Advanced Fee
$98,694,137
Gambling
$1,940,237
Civil Matter
$85,049,939
Re-shipping
$631,466
Spoofing
$82,169,806
Denial of Service/TDos
$217,981
Other
$75,837,524
Crimes Against Children
$198,950
Descriptors**
Social Media
$235,279,057
Virtual Currency
$1,602,647,341
* Regarding ransomware adjusted losses, this number does not include estimates of lost business, time, wages, files, or
equipment, or any third-party remediation services acquired by a victim. In some cases, victims do not report any loss amount
to the FBI, thereby creating an artificially low overall ransomware loss rate. Lastly, the number only represents what victims
report to the FBI via the IC3 and does not account for victim direct reporting to FBI field offices/agents.
**These descriptors relate to the medium or tool used to facilitate the crime and are used by the IC3 for tracking purposes only.
They are available only after another crime type has been selected. Please see Appendix B for more information regarding IC3
data.
FE D E R AL B U R E A U O F I N V E STI G A T I O N
24
Last 3 Year Complaint Count Comparison
By Victim Count
= Trend from previous Year
Crime Type
2021
2020
2019
Advanced Fee
11,034
13,020
14,607
BEC/EAC
19,954
19,369
23,775
Civil Matter
1,118
968
908
Confidence Fraud/Romance
24,299
23,751
19,473
Corporate Data Breach
1,287
2,794
1,795
Credit Card Fraud
16,750
17,614
14,378
Crimes Against Children
2,167
3,202
1,312
Denial of Service/TDoS
1,104
2,018
1,353
Employment
15,253
16,879
14,493
Extortion
39,360
76,741
43,101
Gambling
395
391
262
Government Impersonation
11,335
12,827
13,873
Health Care Related
578
1,383
657
Identity Theft
51,629
43,330
16,053
Investment
20,561
8,788
3,999
IPR/Copyright and Counterfeit
4,270
4,213
3,892
Lottery/Sweepstakes/Inheritance
5,991
8,501
7,767
Malware/Scareware/Virus
810
1,423
2,373
Non-Payment/Non-Delivery
82,478
108,869
61,832
Other
12,346
10,372
10,842
Overpayment
6,108
10,988
15,395
Personal Data Breach
51,829
45,330
38,218
Phishing/Vishing/Smishing/Pharming
323,972
241,342
114,702
Ransomware
3,729
2,474
2,047
Real Estate/Rental
11,578
13,638
11,677
Re-Shipping
516
883
929
Spoofing
18,522
28,218
25,789
Tech Support
23,903
15,421
13,633
Terrorism/Threats of Violence
12,346
20,669
15,563
2 0 2 1 I NTE R N E T C R I M E RE P O R T
25
Last 3 Year Complaint Loss Comparison
By Victim Loss
= Trend from previous Year
Crime Type
2021
2020
2019
Advanced Fee
$98,694,137
$83,215,405
$100,602,297
BEC/EAC
$2,395,953,296
$1,866,642,107
$1,776,549,688
Civil Matter
$85,049,939
$24,915,958
$20,242,867
Confidence Fraud/Romance
$956,039,739
$600,249,821
$475,014,032
Corporate Data Breach
$151,568,225
$128,916,648
$53,398,278
Credit Card Fraud
$172,998,385
$129,820,792
$111,491,163
Crimes Against Children
$198,950
$660,044
$975,311
Denial of Service/TDoS
$217,981
$512,127
$7,598,198
Employment
$47,231,023
$62,314,015
$42,618,705
Extortion
$60,577,741
$70,935,939
$107,498,956
Gambling
$1,940,237
$3,961,508
$1,458,118
Government Impersonation
$142,643.253
$109,938,030
$124,292,606
Health Care Related
$7,042,942
$29,042,515
$1,128,838
Identity Theft
$278,267,918
$219,484,699
$160,305,789
Investment
$1,455,943,193
$336,469,000
$222,186,195
IPR/Copyright and Counterfeit
$16,365,011
$5,910,617
$10,293,307
Lottery/Sweepstakes/Inheritance
$71,289,089
$61,111,319
$48,642,332
Malware/Scareware/Virus
$5,596,889
$6,904,054
$2,009,119
Non-Payment/Non-Delivery
$337,493,071
$265,011,249
$196,563,497
Other
$75,837,524
$101,523,082
$66,223,160
Overpayment
$33,407,671
$51,039,922
$55,820,212
Personal Data Breach
$517,021,289
$194,473,055
$120,102,501
Phishing/Vishing/Smishing/Pharming
$44,213,707
$54,241,075
$57,836,379
Ransomware
$49,207,908
$29,157,405
$8,965,847
Real Estate/Rental
$350,328,166
$213,196,082
$221,365,911
Re-Shipping
$631,466
$3,095,265
$1,772,692
Spoofing
$82,169,806
$216,513,728
$300,478,433
Tech Support
$347,657,432
$146,477,709
$54,041,053
Terrorism/Threats of Violence
$4,390,720
$6,547,449
$19,916,243
FE D E R AL B U R E A U O F I N V E STI G A T I O N
26
Overall State Statistics
Victim per State*
Rank
State
Victims
Rank
State
Victims
1
California
67,095
30
Louisiana
4,248
2
Florida
45,855
31
Utah
4,242
3
Texas
41,148
32
Oklahoma
4,156
4
New York
29,065
33
Arkansas
2,745
5
Illinois
17,999
34
Kansas
2,693
6
Nevada
17,706
35
New Mexico
2,644
7
Ohio
17,510
36
Nebraska
2,407
8
Pennsylvania
17,262
37
Mississippi
2,170
9
Washington
13,903
38
West Virginia
2,135
10
New Jersey
12,817
39
Delaware
2,132
11
Arizona
12,375
40
District of Columbia
2,103
12
Virginia
11,785
41
Puerto Rico
1,923
13
Georgia
11,776
42
Idaho
1,882
14
Maryland
11,693
43
Alaska
1,787
15
Indiana
11,399
44
Hawaii
1,615
16
Michigan
10,930
45
New Hampshire
1,487
17
Colorado
10,537
46
Maine
1,402
18
North Carolina
10,363
47
Rhode Island
1,205
19
Missouri
9,692
48
Montana
1,188
20
Massachusetts
9,174
49
South Dakota
951
21
Iowa
8,853
50
Wyoming
735
22
Wisconsin
8,646
51
Vermont
715
23
Kentucky
7,148
52
North Dakota
670
24
Tennessee
7,129
53
Virgin Islands, U.S.
100
25
Oregon
5,954
54
U.S. Minor Outlying Islands
93
26
Minnesota
5,844
55
Guam
64
27
South Carolina
5,426
56
Northern Mariana Islands
29
28
Alabama
5,347
57
American Samoa
25
29
Connecticut
4,524
*Note: This information is based on the total number of complaints from each state, American Territory, and the District of
Columbia when the complainant provided state information. Please see Appendix B for more information regarding IC3 data.
2 0 2 1 I NTE R N E T C R I M E RE P O R T
27
Overall State Statistics continued
Total Victim Losses by State*
Rank
State
Loss
Rank
State
Loss
1
California
$1,227,989,139
30
Louisiana
$38,783,908
2
Texas
$606,179,646
31
Kentucky
$37,953,949
3
New York
$559,965,598
32
Iowa
$33,821,569
4
Florida
$528,573,929
33
Kansas
$26,031,546
5
Pennsylvania
$206,982,032
34
North Dakota
$21,246,355
6
New Jersey
$203,510,341
35
Mississippi
$20,578,948
7
Illinois
$184,860,704
36
District of Columbia
$20,096,921
8
Michigan
$181,622,993
37
Nebraska
$19,743,241
9
Virginia
$172,767,012
38
Hawaii
$18,964,018
10
Washington
$157,454,331
39
South Dakota
$18,131,095
11
Massachusetts
$150,384,982
40
Idaho
$17,682,386
12
Georgia
$143,998,767
41
Arkansas
$15,302,829
13
Ohio
$133,666,156
42
New Hampshire
$15,302,618
14
Colorado
$130,631,286
43
Delaware
$15,041,717
15
Arizona
$124,158,717
44
Puerto Rico
$14,650,062
16
Tennessee
$103,960,100
45
Alaska
$13,070,648
17
Maryland
$99,110,757
46
New Mexico
$12,761,850
18
North Carolina
$91,416,226
47
Rhode Island
$11,191,079
19
Nevada
$83,712,410
48
Wyoming
$10,249,609
20
Minnesota
$82,535,103
49
Montana
$10,107,283
21
Oregon
$75,739,646
50
Vermont
$9,826,787
22
Connecticut
$72,476,672
51
West Virginia
$9,453,607
23
Utah
$65,131,003
52
Maine
$7,261,234
24
Indiana
$60,524,818
53
Guam
$2,168,956
25
Missouri
$53,797,188
54
Virgin Islands, U.S.
$895,946
26
Wisconsin
$51,816,862
55
Northern Mariana Islands
$705,244
27
Oklahoma
$50,196,339
56
U.S. Minor Outlying Islands
$403,844
28
Alabama
$49,522,904
57
American Samoa
$177,533
29
South Carolina
$42,768,322
*Note: This information is based on the total number of complaints from each state, American Territory, and the District of
Columbia when the complainant provided state information. Please see Appendix B for more information regarding IC3 data.
FE D E R AL B U R E A U O F I N V E STI G A T I O N
28
Overall State Statistics continued
Count by Subject per State*
Rank
State
Subjects
Rank
State
Subjects
1
California
27,706
30
Nebraska
1,243
2
Texas
13,518
31
Kentucky
1,238
3
Florida
11,527
32
District of Columbia
1,107
4
New York
10,696
33
Utah
1,063
5
Maryland
5,244
34
Delaware
924
6
Ohio
5,182
35
New Mexico
893
7
Pennsylvania
5,168
36
Kansas
876
8
Illinois
4,587
37
West Virginia
863
9
Georgia
4,521
38
Arkansas
831
10
New Jersey
3,913
39
Iowa
723
11
Washington
3,586
40
Mississippi
714
12
Virginia
3,542
41
Montana
681
13
Arizona
3,485
42
Maine
507
14
North Carolina
3,316
43
Idaho
486
15
Nevada
3,308
44
New Hampshire
467
16
Colorado
2,885
45
Hawaii
435
17
Michigan
2,605
46
Alaska
429
18
Tennessee
2,384
47
Puerto Rico
346
19
Massachusetts
2,018
48
Rhode Island
318
20
Indiana
1,976
49
North Dakota
297
21
Oklahoma
1,929
50
Wyoming
251
22
Missouri
1,646
51
South Dakota
216
23
Oregon
1,598
52
Vermont
189
24
Minnesota
1,553
53
U.S. Minor Outlying Islands
34
25
Alabama
1,520
54
Virgin Islands, U.S.
14
26
Connecticut
1,499
55
Guam
11
27
Louisiana
1,398
56
Northern Mariana Islands
7
28
South Carolina
1,358
57
American Samoa
3
29
Wisconsin
1,316
*Note: This information is based on the total number of complaints from each state, American Territory, and the District of
Columbia when the complainant provided state information. Please see Appendix B for more information regarding IC3 data.
2 0 2 1 I NTE R N E T C R I M E RE P O R T
29
Overall State Statistics continued
Subject Earnings per Destination State*
Rank
State
Loss
Rank
State
Loss
1
California
$404,965,496
30
South Carolina
$10,406,812
2
New York
$320,011,292
31
Iowa
$7,960,272
3
Florida
$174,884,203
32
Wyoming
$7,007,308
4
Texas
$168,153,129
33
Idaho
$6,879,088
5
Colorado
$96,949,691
34
Connecticut
$6,586,016
6
Illinois
$82,985,601
35
Kansas
$6,527,306
7
Ohio
$65,567,505
36
New Mexico
$6,441,444
8
Georgia
$62,682,196
37
Kentucky
$6,260,280
9
Washington
$49,643,646
38
Arkansas
$5,511,079
10
New Jersey
$46,773,594
39
Delaware
$5,404,683
11
Nevada
$46,441,562
40
Hawaii
$5,312,553
12
Pennsylvania
$44,661,540
41
Nebraska
$5,156,069
13
Arizona
$44,490,075
42
New Hampshire
$5,082,033
14
Louisiana
$43,427,842
43
Mississippi
$4,245,861
15
North Carolina
$43,281,815
44
Puerto Rico
$4,067,734
16
Virginia
$42,989,608
45
Maine
$3,445,411
17
Maryland
$33,912,104
46
Vermont
$3,357,692
18
Massachusetts
$29,327,619
47
Rhode Island
$3,307,726
19
Michigan
$28,857,054
48
North Dakota
$3,174,006
20
Oklahoma
$19,278,395
49
Montana
$2,946,504
21
Minnesota
$19,039,734
50
Alaska
$2,773,302
22
Tennessee
$18,580,987
51
South Dakota
$2,413,398
23
Utah
$17,137,321
52
West Virginia
$2,269,994
24
Missouri
$16,619,864
53
Northern Mariana Islands
$107,000
25
District of Columbia
$15,656,649
54
U.S. Minor Outlying Islands
$77,350
26
Wisconsin
$14,886,212
55
Virgin Islands, U.S.
$44,453
27
Alabama
$14,639,799
56
Guam
$3,932
28
Indiana
$14,634,699
57
American Samoa
$420
29
Oregon
$10,561,887
*Note: This information is based on the total number of complaints from each state, American Territory, and the District of
Columbia when the complainant provided state information. Please see Appendix B for more information regarding IC3 data.
FE D E R AL B U R E A U O F I N V E STI G A T I O N
30
Appendix A: Definitions
Advanced Fee: An individual pays money to someone in anticipation of receiving something of greater value
in return, but instead, receives significantly less than expected or nothing.
Business Email Compromise/Email Account Compromise: BEC is a scam targeting businesses (not
individuals) working with foreign suppliers and/or businesses regularly performing wire transfer payments.
EAC is a similar scam which targets individuals. These sophisticated scams are carried out by fraudsters
compromising email accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion techniques to conduct
unauthorized transfer of funds.
Civil Matter: Civil litigation generally includes all disputes formally submitted to a court, about any subject
in which one party is claimed to have committed a wrong but not a crime. In general, this is the legal process
most people think of when the word “lawsuit” is used.
Computer Intrusion: Unauthorized access or exceeding authorized access into a protected computer
system. A protected computer system is one owned or used by the US Government, a financial institution,
or any business. This typically excludes personally owned systems and devices.
Confidence/Romance Fraud: An individual believes they are in a relationship (family, friendly, or romantic)
and are tricked into sending money, personal and financial information, or items of value to the perpetrator
or to launder money or items to assist the perpetrator. This includes the Grandparent’s Scheme and any
scheme in which the perpetrator preys on the complainant’s “heartstrings”.
Corporate Data Breach: A data breach within a corporation or business where sensitive, protected, or
confidential data is copied, transmitted, viewed, stolen, or used by an individual unauthorized to do so.
Credit Card Fraud: Credit card fraud is a wide-ranging term for theft and fraud committed using a credit
card or any similar payment mechanism (ACH. EFT, recurring charge, etc.) as a fraudulent source of funds
in a transaction.
Crimes Against Children: Anything related to the exploitation of children, including child abuse.
Denial of Service/TDoS: A Denial of Service (DoS) attack floods a network/system, or a Telephony Denial of
Service (TDoS) floods a voice service with multiple requests, slowing down or interrupting service.
2 0 2 1 I NTE R N E T C R I M E RE P O R T
31
Employment: An individual believes they are legitimately employed and loses money, or launders
money/items during the course of their employment.
Extortion: Unlawful extraction of money or property through intimidation or undue exercise of authority.
It may include threats of physical harm, criminal prosecution, or public exposure.
Gambling: Online gambling, also known as Internet gambling and iGambling, is a general term for gambling
using the Internet.
Government Impersonation: A government official is impersonated in an attempt to collect money.
Health Care Related: A scheme attempting to defraud private or government health care programs which
usually involving health care providers, companies, or individuals. Schemes may include offers for fake
insurance cards, health insurance marketplace assistance, stolen health information, or various other
scams and/or any scheme involving medications, supplements, weight loss products, or diversion/pill mill
practices. These scams are often initiated through spam email, Internet advertisements, links in
forums/social media, and fraudulent websites.
IPR/Copyright and Counterfeit: The illegal theft and use of others’ ideas, inventions, and creative
expressions – what’s called intellectual property – everything from trade secrets and proprietary products
and parts to movies, music, and software.
Identity Theft: Someone steals and uses personal identifying information, like a name or Social Security
number, without permission to commit fraud or other crimes and/or (Account Takeover) a fraudster
obtains account information to perpetrate fraud on existing accounts.
Investment: Deceptive practice that induces investors to make purchases based on false information. These
scams usually offer the victims large returns with minimal risk. (Retirement, 401K, Ponzi, Pyramid, etc.).
Lottery/Sweepstakes/Inheritance: An Individual is contacted about winning a lottery or sweepstakes they
never entered, or to collect on an inheritance from an unknown relative.
Malware/Scareware/Virus: Software or code intended to damage, disable, or capable of copying itself onto
a computer and/or computer systems to have a detrimental effect or destroy data.
Non-Payment/Non-Delivery: Goods or services are shipped, and payment is never rendered (non-
payment). Payment is sent, and goods or services are never received, or are of lesser quality (non-delivery).
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Overpayment: An individual is sent a payment/commission and is instructed to keep a portion of the
payment and send the remainder to another individual or business.
Personal Data Breach: A leak/spill of personal data which is released from a secure location to an untrusted
environment. Also, a security incident in which an individual’s sensitive, protected, or confidential data is
copied, transmitted, viewed, stolen, or used by an unauthorized individual.
Phishing/Vishing/Smishing/Pharming: The use of unsolicited email, text messages, and telephone calls
purportedly from a legitimate company requesting personal, financial, and/or login credentials.
Ransomware: A type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until money is
paid.
Re-shipping: Individuals receive packages at their residence and subsequently repackage the merchandise
for shipment, usually abroad.
Real Estate/Rental: Loss of funds from a real estate investment or fraud involving rental or timeshare
property.
Spoofing: Contact information (phone number, email, and website) is deliberately falsified to mislead and
appear to be from a legitimate source. For example, spoofed phone numbers making mass robo-calls;
spoofed emails sending mass spam; forged websites used to mislead and gather personal information.
Often used in connection with other crime types.
Social Media: A complaint alleging the use of social networking or social media (Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, chat rooms, etc.) as a vector for fraud. Social Media does not include dating sites.
Tech Support: Subject posing as technical or customer support/service.
Terrorism/Threats of Violence: Terrorism is violent acts intended to create fear that are perpetrated for a
religious, political, or ideological goal and deliberately target or disregard the safety of non-combatants.
Threats of Violence refers to an expression of an intention to inflict pain, injury, or punishment, which does
not refer to the requirement of payment.
Virtual Currency: A complaint mentioning a form of virtual cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, or
Potcoin.
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Appendix B: Additional Information about IC3 Data
• Each complaint is reviewed by an IC3 analyst. The analyst categorizes the complaint according to
the crime type(s) that are appropriate. Additionally, the analyst will adjust the loss amount if the
complaint data does not support the loss amount reported.
• One complaint may have multiple crime types.
• Some complainants may have filed more than once, creating a possible duplicate complaint.
• All location-based reports are generated from information entered when known/provided by the
complainant.
• Losses reported in foreign currencies are converted to U.S. dollars when possible.
• Complaint counts represent the number of individual complaints received from each state and do
not represent the number of individuals filing a complaint.
• Victim is identified as the individual filing a complaint.
• Subject is identified as the individual perpetrating the scam as reported by the victim.
• “Count by Subject per state” is the number of subjects per state, as reported by victims.
• “Subject earnings per Destination State” is the amount swindled by the subject, as reported by the
victim, per state.
