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A recent study has revealed that Wisconsin holds the ignominious position of being the 23rd most-scammed state in the nation, with a disheartening total of 7,863 victims who fell prey to various online scams, resulting in a substantial financial loss of $108 million.
The study, conducted by Social Catfish, a reverse search technology company, looked into the state of internet scams for the year 2023. The comprehensive report drew on data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (FBI IC3) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The findings underscore a disconcerting trend: tech-savvy teenagers are now succumbing to online scams at a rate surpassing that of seniors.
Over the past half-decade, the monetary losses sustained by victims aged 20 and under have surged remarkably, growing by an astounding 2,500% from 2017 to 2022. In stark contrast, losses among senior citizens increased by 805% during the same period. In 2017, victims under 20 reported losses totaling $8.2 million, a figure that ballooned to a staggering $210 million by 2022.
Despite this surge in young victims, seniors remain the demographic most heavily victimized, suffering a collective loss of $3.1 billion nationwide in 2022. This pattern highlights the growing sophistication of online scammers, who are increasingly targeting a younger and more technologically-adept audience.
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The study sheds light on the grim reality of online scams, revealing that a record-breaking $10.3 billion was lost to such schemes in 2022, a significant uptick from the $6.9 billion reported in the previous year. The report's insights point to a pressing need for heightened cybersecurity awareness and education across all age groups.
In the realm of state rankings, California, Florida, and New York emerged as the top three most-scammed states according to the study's data. Within the Midwest region, Illinois and Michigan secured higher positions than Wisconsin, while neighboring Minnesota trailed just behind the Badger State, coming in at the 24th spot in the rankings.
As the battle against online scams intensifies, experts stress the importance of vigilance, education, and the adoption of robust cybersecurity measures to thwart the increasingly cunning tactics employed by scammers.
