Based on annual FTC consumer reporting, fraud losses continue to rise, with millions of reports and major financial impact across age groups. Median losses vary by category, and older victims often report higher per-case losses.

Below is a structured guide to the 10 most common fraud types and practical protections for each.

1. Impersonation Scams

Scammers pretend to be trusted people or institutions (family members, police, tax agencies, tech support, charities, or known brands) to pressure urgent payment or data disclosure.

Protection: end the conversation, verify through official channels, and never click links from unexpected outreach.

2. Online Shopping and Review Fraud

Includes fake e-commerce stores, non-delivery, deceptive guarantees, and pressure tactics around fake urgency or manipulated merchant reputation.

Protection: check domain spelling, review merchant history, and use payment methods with buyer protection.

3. Business and Job Opportunity Scams

Fraudsters advertise fake remote jobs, fake franchise opportunities, and overpayment refund tricks to extract money and personal identity data.

Protection: never pay to apply, never process money for unknown employers, and research complaints before engaging.

4. Investment Scams

High-return promises, fake investment platforms, and social-engineering coaching often lead victims to transfer funds directly to criminal wallets.

Protection: avoid guaranteed-return claims, verify promoter registration, and independently validate every platform.

5. Internet Service Fraud

Covers deceptive billing, unauthorized subscriptions, online ad scams, and abuse tied to social platforms and digital services.

Protection: audit monthly bills, cancel unknown subscriptions, and verify provider communications before payment.

6. Prize, Sweepstakes, and Lottery Fraud

Victims are told they "won" a prize and must first pay fees or provide sensitive information to claim non-existent rewards.

Protection: if you did not enter, assume it is a scam. Legitimate prize claims do not require advance payment.

7. Phone and Mobile Service Fraud

Includes SIM-swap attacks, malicious mobile prompts, fake support calls, and unauthorized premium charges.

Protection: enable carrier account PIN/security lock, install apps only from official stores, and review call/billing activity.

8. Healthcare Fraud

Misleading health products, fake treatment claims, and manipulative medical advertising often target vulnerable consumers.

Protection: verify treatments with qualified clinicians and avoid products marketed with unrealistic guarantees.

9. Travel, Vacation, and Timeshare Fraud

Scams include fake package deals, hidden fee traps, and deceptive timeshare purchase or exit offers.

Protection: research provider reputation, avoid unusual payment channels, and treat travel robocalls as high risk.

10. Mortgage Relief and Debt Management Scams

Fraudsters request upfront fees while promising loan modification or debt relief without legal delivery.

Protection: avoid pre-approval fees, work directly with your lender, and use verified housing counselors or licensed attorneys.

Core Protection Baseline

Verify identity through official channels, avoid irreversible payment methods, monitor financial accounts continuously, and report suspicious activity immediately. Fast action significantly improves recovery and legal response options.