Some 348,000 people reported about impostors, with 19 percent saying they suffered a financial loss, with total reported loss $905 million, an increase of $63 million from 2016.
Who are the most likely targets?
Among those ages 20 to 29, 40 percent reported losing money to fraud; the rate for those 70 and above was 18 percent. But when the thieves were successful, the typical amount of loss depended greatly on one’s age. The older you were, the more you lost.
How much you might be scammed?
For those 20-29, the median loss was $400. The comparable figures were $621 for those 70 to 79 and $1,092 for those 80 and above.
What are the most likely impostor scams?
After impostors, the top categories in order of number of reports were:
- hone and mobile services (150,000);
- prizes, sweepstakes and lotteries (143,000);
- shop-at-home and catalog sales (126,000);
- internet services (45,000);
- foreign money offers and counterfeit checks (32,000);
- travel, vacation and time-shares (22,000);
- business and job opportunities (19,000);
- advance payments for credit (18,000);
- and health care (10,000).
Which states are the most likely targets?
The top states per capita for fraud reports were Florida, Georgia and Nevada.
You can find out the FTC’s fraud report in detail at its website.