It is not only money that gets lost

Most conversations about scams focus on the dollar amount. FBI reporting says the damage runs deeper. For some victims the loss of trust, savings and dignity ends in the worst possible outcome.

What the reporting actually says

In its 2024 Internet Crime Complaint Center report, the FBI noted that 42 victims were referred to an FBI victim specialist for suicide intervention after being scammed. The agency is not quietly overlooking this risk; it maintains dedicated support for victims in crisis.

In sextortion cases, which primarily involve minors rather than all scam types, the FBI documented at least 20 deaths by suicide over roughly 18 months, from October 2021 to March 2023, out of about 12,600 victims. A small percentage of the total, and each one a life lost over a scam.

In a separate alert about government impersonation scams, the agency stated plainly that some incidents have resulted in suicide due to shame or loss of sustainable income, particularly among older victims who lost entire retirement savings, faced foreclosure, or had to borrow from family to recover. That same alert noted that victims over 60 lost more money to these scams than every other age group combined.

Why older victims are hit hardest

For a younger victim a financial loss, while devastating, usually comes with more time and more paths back: more working years, a longer runway. For an older adult on a fixed income the same loss can feel permanent. There is no next paycheck, no decade of career ahead to make up the difference. That is part of why shame and hopelessness land so much harder in this group, and why families should treat the risk as urgent rather than hypothetical.

Why it happens

Mental health experts who study scam victims say the reaction goes well beyond regret. When someone loses their savings and feels they have no way left to support the people who depend on them, that hopelessness can become overwhelming. Add the shame most victims feel, and many suffer quietly and alone, with the people who love them finding out only afterward.

Why families cannot afford to wait

These numbers are a reminder that scam prevention is not only about protecting money. By the time a victim fully grasps the size of what they have lost, it may already be too late for them to ask for help.

If you or someone you know is struggling after being scammed, or is having thoughts of suicide, support is available. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day.