Iris Powered by Generali ("Iris"), provider of a proprietary identity and cyber protection platform, in partnership with the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), today announced the findings of the State of Scams USA 2025 report. This nationwide survey sheds light on the staggering scale of scam exposure in the United States, the channels scammers use to target victims, and the challenges victims face in recovering lost funds or even trying to report the scam. The release of this research report acts as Iris' kick-off to Cybersecurity Awareness Month (CAM) beginning October 1.

"It is abundantly clear that Americans are in urgent need of protection, with respondents indicating they're encountering scams almost daily and those that do fall victim losing more than $1,000 on average," said Paige Schaffer, CEO of Iris® Powered by Generali. "And yet the institutional support just isn't there, unfortunately, leaving consumers holding the bag. With scams growing more sophisticated by the day, Americans need strong, committed allies in their corner. At Iris, we believe protection shouldn't be a luxury – it should be a standard."

U.S. respondents overwhelmingly reported that they encounter scams regularly, with 77% of survey respondents indicating that they are targeted by a scammer once a day on average. This frequency has also led to more victims, with 70% of U.S. adults indicating that they had been scammed in just the past 12 months. Of those affected, more than 20% lost money to a scam, with average financial losses totaling $1086.70.

Most scam encounters (80%) began on digital platforms that have direct messaging capabilities, with text messages, emails, and phone calls being the most popular channels for scammers. While Gmail, Facebook, and Instagram were most frequently associated with scams, X (Twitter), Snapchat, and Telegram were cited as the slowest to respond to scam reports.

And although close to 3 in 4 (74%) of those exposed to a scam reported it, over half (57%) say they saw no discernible action taken by the platform in response. Similarly, while most Americans (82%) who were scammed reported it to the payment service, only 44% were able to at least partly recover stolen funds (38% could not recover any money at all). Undoubtedly, there's a major gap in resolution and restitution.

The report also revealed that when scams are reported, 25% of Americans turn to commercial organizations first, compared to just 12% who contact consumer protection authorities. Still, many believe reporting is pointless – 18% of non-reporters say they didn't bother because they assumed nothing would be done.

"Americans are facing scams nearly every day, with 77% encountering fraud and less than half recovering lost funds," said Jorij Abraham, Managing Director at GASA. "In many cases, they are acting as the first line of defense, yet current protections fall short. GASA is committed to driving cross-sector collaboration and implementing smarter policies to support victims, restore trust, and turn the tide against scams."

The full State of Scams USA 2025 report can be downloaded here, giving consumers and businesses deeper insights into the challenges ahead. To unpack these findings further, Iris and GASA will host a webinar, "Scams in America: Breaking the Cycle of Daily Fraud," on October 21 at 2:00 p.m. ET, featuring experts from Iris, GASA, Mastercard, Aspen Institute, and The Media Trust. The panel will dive into the report's key insights, share real-world perspectives, and explore what can be done to better protect consumers against the growing wave of scams. Reserve your spot today by registering here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1066915955942650710?source=Iris+PR

As part of CAM, Iris is also launching an educational campaign to empower consumers with practical tools to stay safe online. Beginning October 1, visitors can access weekly interactive quizzes, each focused on one of the National Cybersecurity Alliance's "Core 4" cybersecurity practices, by visiting: irisidentityprotection.com/stay-safe-online