Alaskans Lose $26 Million to Online Frauds in 2024

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaskans reported losing more than $26 million to Internet crime last year, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation‘s Internet Crime Complaint Center. The FBI’s Anchorage office revealed the stark figure on Tuesday, noting that this total came from 6,770 complaints filed by residents.

This loss represents a significant decrease of 17% from 2023, when Alaskans lost $31.7 million. Over the past decade, online fraud losses for residents have exceeded $118 million. Notably, more than $11.7 million—about 45%—of last year’s losses were linked to cryptocurrency-related scams.

“Last year alone, Alaskans reported over $26 million in financial losses due to online frauds and scams, many of which involved cryptocurrency transactions,” said Rebecca Day, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “This isn’t just stolen money — it’s the stolen savings and retirement funds of hardworking Americans, siphoned from our local economy,” she added.

According to the FBI, the Internet crimes affecting Alaskans can be categorized into three main types. Investment fraud deceived individuals into making purchases based on false information. Business email compromise (BEC) targeted businesses and individuals involved with wire transfer payments, leading to unauthorized fund transfers. Tech support scams involved impersonators posing as technical support to extract personal information from victims.

The FBI’s annual report indicated that overall cybercrime losses reached nearly $16 billion in 2024, with a sharp rise in phishing, extortion, and personal data breaches. This marked a 33% increase in financial losses from the previous year.

<p“Reporting is one of the first and most important steps in fighting crime so law enforcement can use this information to combat a variety of frauds and scams,” stated FBI Director Kash Patel last month. Residents are encouraged to notify their banks and the Internet Crime Complaint Center, regardless of the amount they have lost.

<p“To strengthen our collective response to this growing threat, and to help prevent further exploitation and financial harm, we urge residents and businesses to stay vigilant and immediately report online fraud to your financial institution and IC3,” said Day.