The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued its latest report to Congress, titled 'Protecting Older Consumers 2025-2026', which focuses on the agency's actions to safeguard older Americans from fraud. The report highlights significant trends based on fraud reports submitted by older adults and outlines the FTC's initiatives to combat these issues.

According to the report, the overall cost of fraud to older adults in 2025 could reach as high as $119.5 billion. The FTC emphasizes its commitment to protecting older Americans from scams through law enforcement actions, consumer education campaigns, and outreach efforts. Christopher Mufarrige, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, stated that the agency is dedicated to shutting down fraudulent operations targeting older adults.

The report reveals alarming findings from the Consumer Sentinel Network, which collects fraud reports from consumers. Notably, total fraud losses reported by older adults increased fivefold from 2020 to 2025, rising from approximately $600 million to around $3 billion. Investment scams alone saw a 42% increase in reported losses, exceeding $1 billion in 2025. Older adults also reported significantly higher median individual losses compared to younger adults, particularly among those aged 80 and over.

The FTC's law enforcement actions have addressed various fraud schemes affecting older adults, including debt relief services, health insurance fraud, and tech support scams. The report also highlights the agency's outreach efforts, such as the Never Ever campaign, aimed at raising awareness about government and business impersonation scams. The FTC collaborates with various partners, including government agencies, academia, and nonprofit organizations, to provide support and resources to older adults affected by fraud.

The Commission's vote to authorize the report was unanimous, with a 2-0 decision.