The Federal Bureau of Investigation has revealed that cybercrime involving artificial intelligence (AI) led to losses of over $893 million in 2025.
This was disclosed in the 2025 Internet Crime Report by the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
The report highlights global trends in cyber-enabled crimes and financial losses.
What the report is saying
According to the report, artificial intelligence is increasingly being used by criminals to create highly convincing synthetic content, including fake social media profiles, voice recordings, and video materials.
They noted that the IC3 received 22,364 complaints linked to AI-related cybercrime activities in 2025 alone.
- “AI-enabled synthetic content is becoming increasingly difficult to detect and easier to make, which allows criminal actors to potentially conduct successful fraud schemes against individuals, businesses, and financial institutions.
In 2025, IC3 received more than 22,364 complaints reporting AI-related information. Adjusted losses of these complaints exceed $893,346,472,” the report stated.
More insights
The report outlined several ways AI is being deployed in cybercrime:
- Fraudsters use AI chat generators to create official-looking emails impersonating company executives, often requesting urgent payments. Voice cloning is also used to mimic senior officials. Businesses reported losses of over $30 million from AI-linked BEC scams in 2025.
- AI-generated profiles and scripts are being used to build trust with victims. Losses from these scams exceeded $19 million, while “distress scams” involving voice cloning of family members accounted for over $5 million.
- AI is used to simulate conversations, generate fake endorsements from celebrities or executives, and create realistic promotional content. Losses from AI-linked investment scams exceeded $632 million, forming the largest share of AI-related fraud.
- Fraudsters use AI voice spoofing and deepfake technology during online interviews to gain access to corporate systems. Victims reported losses of nearly $13 million from such schemes.
The FBI noted that overall investment scam losses, including those not directly identified as AI-driven, exceeded $8 billion.
The report warns that as AI tools become more accessible, cybercriminals are expected to further refine their tactics, increasing risks for businesses, investors, and everyday internet users globally.
What you should know
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming cybercrime by lowering the barrier to entry for fraudsters and enabling large-scale, highly personalised attacks.
Unlike traditional scams, AI-powered fraud can mimic real individuals, generate convincing narratives, and operate at scale, making detection more difficult for both individuals and institutions.
According to Nairametrics, cybercrime now accounts for over 30% of all reported crimes in parts of Africa, with online scams, phishing, and business email compromise among the most common threats.
Artificial intelligence is accelerating these threats, with some scam activities increasing by as much as 3,000% in certain regions, driven by more sophisticated tools and wider internet access.
