b'New Data Shows Federal Trade Commission Received 2.8 MillionFraud Reports from Consumers in 2021.Reported fraud losses increase more than70 percent over 2020 to more than $5.8 billionNews Release Federal Trade Commission numbers of categories, including by state and metropolitan February 22, 2022 area, as well as exploring a number of subcategories ofwww.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2022/02/new-data-shows-ftc-received-28-million-fraud-reports-consumers fraud reports.Newly released Federal Trade Commission data showsThe Federal Trade Commission works to promotethat consumers reported losing more than $5.8 billion tocompetition, stop deceptive and unfair business practices fraud in 2021, an increase of more than 70 percent over theand scams, and educate consumers. Report fraud, scams,previous year. or bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC received fraud reports from more than 2.8 millionGet consumer advice at consumer.ftc.gov. Also, followconsumers last year, with the most commonly reported the FTC on social media, subscribe to press releases, andcategory once again being imposter scams, followed byread the FTCs blogs.Jonline shopping scams.Prizes, sweepstakes, and lotteries; internet services; and business and job opportunities rounded out the top fiveIn 2021 Fraud Losses infraud categories. Military Community Soar to $267 MillionOf the losses reported by consumers, more than$2.3 billion of losses reported last year were due toimposter scamsup from $1.2 billion in 2020, while onlineFraud on military personnel, veterans and their families shopping accounted for about $392 million in reportedin 2021, with reported $267 million in losses to a variety of losses from consumersup from $246 million in 2020. scams, according to the Federal Trade Commission.The FTCs Consumer Sentinel Network (Sentinel) is aThe losses were up from $102 million a year earlier, for a database that receives reports directly from consumers, as162 percent increase. The figures are from the Federal Trade well as from federal, state, and local law enforcement agen- Commissions Consumer Sentinel Network, which released cies, the Better Business Bureau, industry members, andits annual data book on Feb. 22.non-profit organizations. Twenty-five states now The top fraud involved impostors who posed as someone contribute to Sentinel. Reports from around the countryelse, such as a government employee, a friend or relative about consumer protection issues are a key resource for with an emergency need for cash, or a romantic interest. FTC investigations that stop illegal activities and, whenAfter impostor frauds, the most common ones werepossible, provide refunds to consumers. complaints about online shopping, followed by prize,Sentinel received more than 5.7 million reports in 2021;sweepstakes and lottery scams. these include the fraud reports detailed above, as wellMilitary consumers, as defined by the FTC, are active-duty as identity theft reports and complaints related to otherservice members and their spouses and dependents, veterans, consumer issues, such as problems with credit bureaus andand members of the Reserves and National Guard. banks and lenders. In 2021, there were nearly 1.4 millionThe grim statistics on fraud came amid some bright spotsreports of identity theft received by the FTC. for military consumers. While fraud reports jumped 69 percent, The FTC uses the reports it receives through Sentinel to 110,827, reports of identity theft fell nearly 12 percent, to as the starting point for many of its law enforcement 49,854, and other consumer complaintsinvolving credit investigations, and the agency also shares these reportsbureaus, banks and other entities, for examplefell aboutwith approximately 2,800 federal, state, local, and 6 percent, to 49,318.international law enforcement professionals. While the FTC does not intervene in individual complaints, Sentinel reportsOther key findings in the report: are a vital part of the agencys law enforcement mission.Among military consumers, 26 percent of those filing A full breakdown of reports received in 2021 is now available fraud reports lost money.on the FTCs data analysis site at ftc.gov/exploredata. The Impostor scams alone cost military consumers nearly data dashboards there break down the reports across a$104 million last year. 34 Military Appreciation Resource Magazine Thank You For Your Service'