How teens and young adults are victimized: Understanding scam risk across customer segments

Teens and young adults increasingly are becoming targets of sophisticated payment scams — often with serious financial consequences. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), individuals ages 29 and under lost nearly $500 million to scams in 2025 (Off-site), a 20% increase since 2021. As scam losses among this group have risen, financial institutions have an opportunity to strengthen education, implement targeted controls and build trust with younger account holders who face unique vulnerabilities.