The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has reported that cybercrime inflicted a staggering $16.6 billion in financial losses worldwide in 2024, marking a 33% increase from the previous year. This data, compiled by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), was drawn from nearly 860,000 complaints, with the majority originating from the United States .
Despite a slight decrease in the number of complaints—from 880,000 in 2023 to approximately 860,000 in 2024—the financial impact escalated significantly. The most prevalent offenses included phishing attacks, data extortion, and personal data breaches. Elderly individuals were notably affected, accounting for over $4.8 billion in losses from more than 147,000 complaints .
The FBI acknowledged that these figures likely underestimate the total financial damage, particularly due to unreported ransomware attacks. Chad Yarbrough, the FBI’s operations director for criminal and cyber, emphasized that while the tactics of cybercriminals have evolved, their underlying objective remains unchanged: to exploit individuals for profit .
In response to this growing threat, the FBI continues to collaborate with government agencies, law enforcement, and the private sector to combat cybercrime and enhance public awareness.
