Hoosiers lost $11,669 to social media scams this year, FTC data shows

INDIANA – Indiana residents reported losing $11,669 to social networking scams in the first half of 2025, according to fraud reports compiled by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The state received 78 reports of social networking fraud between January and June of this year, resulting in an average loss of $150 per report. This places Indiana significantly below the national trend, with its average loss being 79% lower than the national average of $696 per social networking fraud report.

Nationally, social networking scams are one of the most prevalent types of fraud, with consumers across the U.S. reporting over $4.1 million stolen across nearly 6,000 reports during the same six-month period.

How Social Networking Scams Work

Social networking scams typically involve fraudsters usi