Cybercrime losses in the United States reached nearly $21 billion in 2025, marking a 26% increase from the previous year, according to FBI data. Investment fraud alone accounted for approximately $8.65 billion of these losses. This surge in financial crime is amplified by the increasing sophistication of scams, largely due to advancements in artificial intelligence.
Scammers are leveraging AI tools to create more convincing fake messages, cloned voices, and even fabricated identities. These AI-driven tactics can bypass traditional warning signs that victims might have previously recognized, making it harder to distinguish legitimate communications from fraudulent ones. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received 22,364 complaints in 2025 that included AI-related information, resulting in about $893 million in reported losses.
To combat these evolving threats, experts recommend implementing several layers of protection for personal finances.
Financial Account Safeguards
Turning on instant alerts for all financial accounts, including banks and credit cards, is a crucial first step. These notifications can alert users to unauthorized transactions or suspicious activity in real-time, allowing for prompt action. Strengthening account login security is also advised, which includes using strong, unique passwords managed by a password manager and enabling two-factor or multifactor authentication (2FA) whenever available. Using authenticator apps or passkeys is recommended over SMS-based codes, which can be vulnerable to SIM swap attacks.
Protecting Personal Information and Investments
An individual's phone number has become a critical component of financial security. Scammers can exploit SIM swap or port-out scams to gain control of a phone number, rerouting calls and security codes to their own devices. To prevent this, users should contact their mobile carriers to inquire about number transfer locks or port-out protection features. Sudden loss of phone service should also be treated as a potential indicator of such an attack.
Freezing credit with the three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—is presented as a robust defense against new-account fraud. A credit freeze restricts access to a person's credit file, making it significantly more difficult for criminals to open new accounts in their name. This measure does not impact credit scores and can be temporarily lifted when legitimate credit applications are necessary.
Retirement and investment accounts, often representing decades of savings, require particular attention. Reviewing security settings, ensuring contact information is up-to-date, and enabling alerts and multifactor authentication are vital. It is also recommended to inquire with brokerage or retirement-plan providers about additional verification controls for withdrawals and transfers.
Experts emphasize that building these protections proactively is more effective than relying on the ability to spot a single flaw in a sophisticated scam. The increasing use of AI by cybercriminals necessitates a layered security approach to safeguard savings and personal information against unauthorized access and financial loss.