A Federal Trade Commission survey found that in 2017, about 40 million Americans were victims of fraud – about 16 percent of the population.
The survey results, released Thursday, is a comprehensive look at the prevalence of mass-market consumer fraud. Similar surveys were conducted by the FTC in 2003, 2005 and 2011.
The survey was conducted in mid-2017. The most common types of fraud reported at that time were for weight-loss products, computer repairs or individuals being told they owed money to the government.