Most Americans are inundated with scam attempts on a daily basis, and about 3 in 10 have personally lost money or personal information to scams, according to new polling from AP-NORC and the Stop Scams Alliance conducted with Gallup. The surveys highlight the obstacle course that U.S. adults navigate daily as they screen calls, ignore messages, or try to determine whether urgent requests from their cellphone provider are legitimate.
The AP-NORC poll of 1,133 adults was conducted Feb. 19-23 using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel. The Gallup survey of 5,173 adults was conducted Jan. 8-Feb. 18 using the Gallup Panel. Together they provide a comprehensive picture of how Americans experience and respond to fraud attempts.
What the Left Is Saying
Consumer protection advocates and Democratic lawmakers have long called for stronger federal action on scams, arguing that tech companies and financial institutions bear significant responsibility for protecting users. The surveys found that about 4 in 10 people contacted by scammers say at least some of those attempts came through Facebook or Facebook Messenger.
Senator Elizabeth Warren, a longtime advocate for consumer protections, has pushed for increased funding to the Federal Trade Commission and stronger regulations on social media platforms. Her office did not immediately comment on the new polls, but previous statements from her staff have emphasized the need for corporate accountability when companies fail to prevent fraud on their platforms.
Progressive groups argue that older Americans, who face the highest rates of daily scam contact, deserve special protection. About 7 in 10 adults ages 60 and older say they are contacted by suspected scammers at least once a day, compared with about 4 in 10 Americans under 30, according to AP-NORC.
Consumer advocates have called for mandatory fraud detection systems at banks, stronger verification requirements for financial transactions, and expanded funding for federal agencies that handle scam complaints. Many argue that current enforcement mechanisms are insufficient given the scale of the problem.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative lawmakers and commentators have emphasized personal responsibility and warned against expanding government regulatory authority over private companies. They note that bipartisan majorities say the government is doing too little, but question whether new federal programs would actually help scam victims recover their losses.
Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri has championed legislation requiring social media companies to verify identities and prevent fraudulent accounts. His office pointed to his ongoing work on the issue when reached for comment. Other Republican lawmakers have focused on improving coordination between existing agencies rather than creating new ones.
Freedom-focused conservative groups argue that heavy-handed regulation could burden small businesses and limit consumer choice. They contend that public awareness campaigns and better tools for individuals to protect themselves may be more effective than expanding federal authority.
Some Republicans have also raised concerns about government overreach in any expanded fraud-prevention regime, arguing that additional reporting requirements could infringe on civil liberties while doing little to help victims recover funds from international scammers operating beyond U.S. jurisdiction.
What the Numbers Show
58% of U.S. adults say they receive daily text messages, phone calls, emails, online messages, or advertisements that they suspect are scams, according to AP-NORC.
About 3 in 10 U.S. adults have personally been scammed into giving away money or personal information, the poll found. About half know someone personally who has lost money to a scam.
In the Gallup survey, about 1 in 10 U.S. adults said they or a household member was deceived by a scammer last year, with nearly half saying they lost more than $500. About 1 in 10 have been scammed multiple times.
When victims do report, most turn to financial institutions rather than law enforcement: 55% contacted banks or credit unions, but only 18% reported to state or local law enforcement and just 13% contacted federal authorities.
Among people who were scammed in 2025, 75% said they didn't report because they thought it wouldn't make a difference in getting their money back. Only about one-third of U.S. adults say they would know where to make a report if they lost $5,000 today.
About 8 in 10 Americans say the government is doing too little to prevent scams, including large majorities of both Republicans and Democrats.
The Bottom Line
The surveys reveal a significant gap between the prevalence of scams and the response from both victims and authorities. Despite near-universal recognition that scams pose a threat, most victims do not report incidents, primarily because they believe nothing can be done to recover their losses.
Policymakers face pressure from across the political spectrum to address the issue, though approaches differ on whether emphasis should fall on corporate accountability, personal responsibility, or expanded government enforcement. The data suggests any solution will need to overcome widespread public skepticism that reporting mechanisms work.
Watch for continued congressional hearings on telecom and social media company responsibilities, as well as potential legislation aimed at improving coordination between financial institutions and law enforcement agencies.