California reported the most complaints and monetary losses resulting from cybercrime, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s annual Internet Crime Report.

The report highlights cyber crime complaints reported within the past calendar year.

Both the frequency and financial losses of online fraud perpetrated by cybercriminals increased last year. In 2023, the FBI received 880,418 complaints with potential losses exceeding $12.5 billion, nearly a 10 percent increase in complaints and a 22 percent increase in losses compared to 2022.

In state-wide rankings, California received both the highest number of complaints and reported losses, with nearly 80,000 complaints and over $2 billion in losses, the FBI reported.

Investment scams ranked highest in reported losses nationwide.

Investment fraud losses rose to $4.57 billion in 2023, a 38 percent increase from the previous year, according to FBI statistics.

Crypto-investment fraud losses rose to $3.94 billion in 2023, an increase of 53 percent from the previous year.

Nationally and locally, victims 30 to 49 years old were the most likely group to report losses from investment fraud.

Victims within the FBI San Francisco division’s territory lost nearly $400 million to investment scams last year.

The county with the highest victim reporting and losses to investment scams was Santa Clara County, with 446 reported victims and over $152 million in losses.

Phishing was the most frequently reported crime in 2023.

Over 298,000 complaints were filed about phishing schemes last year, accounting for approximately 34 percent of all complaints reported.

In the FBI San Francisco division’s territory, 364 complaints were filed with almost $1.5 million in losses.

Santa Clara County filed the most complaints for this crime; however, Alameda County suffered the highest dollar amount for phishing schemes, with nearly $500,000 in losses.

“IC3 is an important tool for the FBI to combat the rising tide of cyber threats,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp. “When the public reports incidents to the IC3, they provide valuable information that helps fill gaps crucial to advancing our investigations. It allows us to connect complaints, investigate reported crimes, identify trends, and share information with other FBI offices and law enforcement partners nationwide.”