Scam-o-Meter: Nearly half of Americans have fallen victim to an online scam

Key insights

The survey results paint a clear picture of how often Americans encounter scams, what the consequences look like, and where the real dangers lie.

Running into a scam is almost a given

As many as 77% of Americans online faced at least one scam attempt in the past year — and almost half (46%) have fallen for one. The odds of never seeing one are getting slimmer every year.

What happens when a scam works

Most victims lose money — almost a quarter lost $100 or more. But the damage goes beyond money: 29% of victims lost sensitive information, 28% experienced identity theft, and another 28% had their social media or messaging accounts stolen or cloned.

Phishing reaches the most people

Fake emails, calls, and messages from individuals posing as customer support agents or bank representatives reached the largest number of respondents and claimed the most victims. Phishing’s strength is volume — even if most people ignore it, enough don’t.

The most feared scams aren’t the most common ones

People worry most about credit card cloning and fake websites that mimic trusted organizations — yet phishing is far more common. Still, the concern isn’t entirely misplaced: credit card cloning is one of the scams most likely to cause real harm, alongside cryptocurrency, romance, fake customer support, and QR code scams.

Engaging with scammers increases your risk

Our data shows that people who fell for scams were far more likely to have replied via messaging apps, transferred money, or shared personal or login details during the encounter. That’s how the trap works — every reply pulls you in deeper and lowers your guard. The safest move is simple: don’t respond to unsolicited messages or calls from people you don’t know, and never share personal or financial details over messages or email.

What our expert says

Tomas Sinicki, managing director at Coveron, shares some practical tips on what to do to minimize scam risks:

• Verify every source before sharing your data. If someone claims to be from your bank or another institution, don’t take their word for it — contact the organization directly through its official website or phone number.
• Be suspicious of any request that pressures you to act fast — urgency is one of the oldest tricks in the scammer’s book.
• Enable multi-factor authentication on all your accounts.
• Use a unique password for every account.

Methodology and sources

The findings are based on a survey commissioned by Coveron and conducted on December 15–17, 2025. The survey polled 1,004 online users in the United States, aged 18–74. The sample was nationally representative among internet users, with quotas on age, gender, and place of residence.

What is Scam-o-Meter?

Scam-o-Meter is an ongoing Coveron series where we keep track of online fraud. In each installment, we look at different scam or fraud trends, break down how they work, and share practical tips on how to protect yourself. We’ll also share the latest data from our research into the online risks that matter today — for every user.