$262 million stolen in account takeover fraud schemes this year, FBI says ahead of holiday season

The FBI warns about increasing account takeover (ATO) frauds using social engineering via texts, calls, and emails, resulting in over $262 million in losses since January. Cybercriminals exploit fears of fake charges and impersonate legitimate institutions, especially during the holiday season, while AI-driven scams and malicious domains are on the rise. #AccountTakeover #CyberFraud

Keypoints

Over 5,100 complaints about account takeover fraud have been reported since January.
Cybercriminals use social engineering to trick victims into revealing login credentials or transferring funds.
SEO poisoning has increased, with fake e-commerce sites and malicious ads targeting consumers.
Holiday season scams are amplified by AI, creating fake sites and personalized phishing campaigns.
More than 1.57 million login accounts are available for sale on the dark web, linked to major e-commerce platforms.