Crypto currency scams net $4.3 billion from older Americans

DOJ annual report to Congress shows more than $4.8 billion lost or stolen

Shaun Griswold

November 5, 2026

The United States Department of Justice said financial abuse and scams led to billions of dollars lost or stolen from older Americans in the last fiscal year, the bulk of that coming from crypto and investment scams.

Last week, the DOJ released its annual report to Congress detailing how it worked to combat elder fraud and abuse between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026.

During that time, the DOJ pursued 350 criminal and civil enforcement actions against 712 people for allegedly stealing or attempting to take more than $4.8 billion from more than 711,000 older Americans. More than 45% of these instances were from foreign scammers, according to the report. Cryptocurrency investment losses for older Americans totaled more than $4.3 billion.

The report highlighted outreach initiatives for local and tribal communities through the Office for Victims of Crime, which has created a free resource page with training and tools on the DOJ’s Elder Justice Initiative website.

1.Annual Report to Congress on Department of Justice Activities to Combat Elder Fraud and Abuse.

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1.Annual Report to Congress on Department of Justice Activities to Combat Elder Fraud and Abuse.

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