AI-powered BEC scams averaged $224K per victim in 2025
Business email compromise fraud accounted for just 0.6% of AI-related email complaints filed with the FBI in 2025, only 135 out of 22,364 total. But the per-victim damage makes it the most expensive scam category on the list.
According to an analysis of FBI statistics by the Simmrin Law Group, BEC scams cost businesses $30.26 million in 2025, an average of $224,123 per complaint. Companies handling invoices, vendor payments, and wire transfers took the hardest hits.
How BEC compares to other AI fraud types
Investment fraud generated far more total losses, pulling in $632 million across 4,356 complaints, a 70.7% share of all AI-related losses, which totaled $893.3 million. But the average payout per complaint was $145,097, well below BEC’s average.
- Tech and customer support scams: 574 complaints, $19.4 million total, $33,897 per complaint
- Confidence and romance schemes: 626 complaints, $19 million total, $30,418 per complaint
- Employment scams: $12.5 million in total losses
- Phishing and spoofing: $10 million in total losses
For context on the broader BEC picture: counting non-AI episodes, BEC losses hit $3.0 billion in 2024, up from $2.95 billion in 2023.
States with the highest AI fraud losses per 100,000 residents
- District of Columbia: $822,324
- California: $493,985
- Connecticut: $437,801
- Texas: $342,047
- Maryland: $335,496
- Florida: $329,809
- Colorado: $328,000
- New Jersey: $311,727
- Washington: $308,376
- Nevada: $303,825
The operator takeaway
The FBI warns that AI-generated language makes fake financial transfer requests harder to spot. The Simmrin Law Group’s recommendation: confirm any payment changes through trusted contact information already on file, not through contact details included in the request itself.
If your business handles wire transfers or vendor payments, BEC is a low-volume, high-damage threat. The small number of complaints understates the risk considerably.
I’m founder of BizStack at Cagri Sarigoz LLC and a passionate advocate for entrepreneurs.
With over 14 years in tech, marketing, and AI, including my role as Head of SEO at CitizenShipper and co-founder of TaleBot at Intale AI, I’m dedicated to sharing genuine, useful product insights and tips.
At BizStack, I aim to cut through the digital noise to provide clear, actionable advice.
And more than all else, I’m a father to a (always) little girl and a husband.
Contact me at [email protected] for assistance.
