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FTC Consumer Sentinel Network data explained

Last checked 25 October 2026 · 7 sources

Short answer

The Consumer Sentinel Network is a US Federal Trade Commission database of consumer reports about fraud, identity theft and other problems, open only to law enforcement 1,3. The FTC publishes yearly totals in its Data Book. For 2024 it counted 6,471,708 reports and $12,537,194,708 in reported fraud losses 3. For 2025 the FTC told Congress it received 3 million fraud reports with $15.9 billion in losses 4. The FTC says the Data Book rests on unverified reports and is not a survey 2.
Run by
US Federal Trade Commission 1
Who can search the reports
Federal, state and local law enforcement members, plus select international authorities 1
Total reports, 2024
6,471,708 3
Fraud reports, 2024
2,600,678 3
Reported fraud losses, 2024
$12,537,194,708 3
Fraud reports and losses, 2025
3 million reports and $15.9 billion, as stated to Congress on 25 March 2026 4,5
Status of ReportFraud.ftc.gov on 25 October 2026
Unavailable, with a notice citing the government shutdown 7

What the Consumer Sentinel Network is

The FTC describes Consumer Sentinel as an investigative cyber tool that gives network members access to millions of reports. Its categories include impostor scams, identity theft, Do Not Call violations and telemarketing scams 1.

Membership is free and open to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Select international law enforcement authorities can apply too. The public cannot search the database 1.

In a statement to the Joint Economic Committee dated 25 March 2026, the FTC said Sentinel holds 30 million fraud reports from 2020 through 2025. It said more than 2,000 US law enforcers can use it, and that reports come from nearly 180 data sources 5. Named government contributors include the FBI's Internet Crime Center, the US Postal Inspection Service, the Social Security Administration and state attorneys general offices 5.

What the 2024 Data Book counts

The Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2024 was published in March 2025 3. The FTC page for it says Sentinel received 6.5 million reports in 2024, sorted into 29 top categories 2. The report itself gives the exact figures below 3.

Totals exclude National Do Not Call Registry complaints. The FTC says 2024 totals may change as late data arrives 3.

Measure, calendar year 2024Figure
Total reports6,471,708 3
Fraud reports2,600,678, or 40.2% 3
Identity theft reports1,135,291, or 17.5% 3
Other reports2,759,963, or 42.6% 3
Fraud reports with a money loss987,520, or 38% 3
Median fraud loss$497 3

Top report categories in 2024

The Data Book ranks categories by number of reports. The largest category in 2024 was not fraud but complaints about credit bureaus and information furnishers 3.

  • Credit Bureaus and Information Furnishers: 1,353,175 reports 3
  • Identity Theft: 1,135,291 reports 3
  • Imposter Scams: 845,806 reports 3
  • Online Shopping and Negative Reviews: 384,946 reports 3
  • Banks and Lenders: 351,543 reports 3
  • Debt Collection: 218,736 reports 3

What the FTC has said about 2025

The FTC page for a 2025 Data Book could not be opened for this page on 25 October 2026, so the 2025 figures here come from FTC statements. In its 25 March 2026 statement, the FTC said it received 3 million fraud reports in 2025, up from 2.6 million, with reported losses of $15.9 billion 4,5.

The statement said imposter scams had over 1 million reports and over $3.5 billion in losses. Investment scams had the largest losses, at over $7.9 billion 5. Text messages were the most reported contact method. Bank payments led aggregate losses, followed by cryptocurrency 5.

A press release dated 15 June 2026 said imposter scam losses reached $3.5 billion in 2025. It said government impersonation losses were about $920 million, up from $789 million in 2024 6.

Limits of Sentinel figures

  • The FTC says the Data Book is based on unverified reports filed by consumers 2,3.
  • The FTC says the data is not based on a consumer survey 2.
  • Sentinel keeps reports for five years and purges older reports twice a year 2.
  • The FTC calls reported losses a fraction of actual losses. It cites a study finding that only 4.8% of mass-market fraud victims complained to a Better Business Bureau or a government body 5.
  • Reports are unverified accounts from consumers and other contributors, not findings against any company 3.

Common questions

Can the public search Consumer Sentinel reports?

No. Membership is open to law enforcement agencies, and select international authorities can apply 1. The public sees aggregate figures in the yearly Data Book 2.

How many fraud reports did the FTC get in 2025?

The FTC told the Joint Economic Committee on 25 March 2026 that it received 3 million fraud reports in 2025, with $15.9 billion in reported losses 4,5.

Are FTC fraud figures verified?

No. The FTC says the Data Book is based on unverified reports filed by consumers and is not a consumer survey 2.

What was the median fraud loss in 2024?

The Data Book 2024 gives a median fraud loss of $497 3.

Where do people report fraud to the FTC?

The FTC reporting site is ReportFraud.ftc.gov. On 25 October 2026 it showed a notice that the service was unavailable due to the government shutdown 7.

Rules and charges change. Check the official source linked on this page before you pay or travel. Spotted an error? Email hello@consumercomplaintstats.com.

Sources

  1. Federal Trade Commission: Consumer Sentinel Network (undated)
  2. Federal Trade Commission: Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2024 (undated)
  3. Federal Trade Commission: Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2024 (March 2025)
  4. Federal Trade Commission: FTC Testifies before the Joint Economic Committee on Agency's Efforts to Combat Fraud (25 March 2026)
  5. Federal Trade Commission: The Rising Scam Economy: Modernizing Federal Approaches to Protect Americans from Foreign Fraudsters (25 March 2026)
  6. Federal Trade Commission: FTC Data Show People Reported Losing $3.5 Billion to Imposter Scams in 2025 (15 June 2026)
  7. Federal Trade Commission: ReportFraud.ftc.gov (undated)

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