New data from the FBI and Federal Trade Commission shows North Carolinians lost $99.1 million in 2021 to online scams. In South Carolina, people lost $49.5 million.
RALEIGH, N.C. — It’s no secret that online scams have been around for a while.
But new data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Federal Trade Commission shows that victims are being conned out of more cash than ever before.
The new State of Internet Scams 2022 study was recently released and said the data shows $6.9 billion was lost to online scams in 2021, up from $3.5 billion in 2019.
The data found that 10,363 North Carolinians lost a total of $99.1 million last year. The data showed the average North Carolina victim was tricked out of $8,821 a piece last year.
When it comes to South Carolina, 5,426 residents there lost $49.5 million in 2021, which equates to every victim losing about $7,882 last year.
Red flags include an urgent intent, poor grammar, refusing to video chat, working overseas or asking to be paid in gift cards or cryptocurrency.
