#CryptoScamSurge

In 2024, global losses from crypto scams soared to $9.3–9.9 billion, a year‑on‑year increase between 29–66%. High‑yield investment (“pig butchering”) and social‑engineering fraud dominated, with pig‑butchering alone accounting for over $5 billion across 200,000+ cases, increasing ~40% year over year (cryptonews.com, reddit.com). Deepfake scams and AI‑driven impersonation were implicated in ~40% of high‑value frauds, contributing to the $4.6 billion tied to AI‑based schemes (cointelegraph.com). In Q1 2025, scams surged further: $200 million associated with multi‑stage token‑draining attacks and AI‑deepfake efforts, rising ~200% compared to prior periods (ainvest.com). Investors are urged to limit token approvals, vet offers via official channels, and reinforce wallet security.

Key data in brief:

2024 total losses: ~$9–10 billion

Pig butchering: ~$5 billion+, 200k+ victims

AI & deepfake schemes: ~$4.6 billion, ~40% of major cases

Q1 2025 surge: ~$200 million in AI-enhanced multi-stage scams

Let me know if you'd like more detail on how to stay safe—or explore trends in specific scam types!