FBI: Wyoming ranks 3rd per capita in losses to scammers

LARAMIE (WNE) — Scammers stole $43,502,744 from Wyoming victims in 2024, according to the latest report from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Those losses made Wyoming the No. 3 state in the nation in terms of per-capita losses. People filed 1,377 IC3 complaints in 2024.

Reported losses in the state increased nearly $30 million over the 2023 dollar amount.

The top schemes with the largest dollar amount losses in 2024 in Wyoming were data breach ($21 million) and investment fraud ($13 million). The top schemes in terms of numbers of reports from Wyoming were extortion (193) and personal data breach (89).

The age group that made the most reports was people 40-49 years old, with 479 complaints.

The age group with the most reported losses was those 60 and older, with $8,648,675.

“This report is a sobering reminder that people in Wyoming remain prime targets for scammers who will jump at every opportunity to defraud potential victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek, who oversees FBI operations in the Cowboy State. “It’s important for the public to remain vigilant to guard against ever-increasing cyber-enabled threats both at places of employment and in personal life.”

Nationwide, the top three scams most frequently reported by victims were phishing/spoofing, extortion and personal data breaches. Victims of investment fraud, specifically those involving cryptocurrency, reported the most losses — totaling more than $6.5 billion.

Cryptocurrency investment fraud increased 29% over 2023.

Ransomware complaints were up 9% across the country If you feel you have been a victim of a cyber-enabled crime, file a complaint at IC3.gov.

This story was published on May 2, 2025.