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FBI Warns of Surge in Account Takeover (ATO) Fraud Schemes: What You Need to Know – December 2025

Author/Source: Fortra See the full link here

Takeaway

This article warns about a big increase in online scams where criminals take over your accounts. You’ll learn how these scams work and what you can do to protect your personal and financial information online.

Technical Subject Understandability

Beginner

Analogy/Comparison

Imagine someone found your house keys and used them to get into your home, taking your belongings and changing things around. Account takeover fraud is similar, but it happens with your online accounts.

Why It Matters

It matters because these criminals can steal your money, personal information, and even your identity. For example, the FBI reported that people lost millions of dollars to these scams, with over 50,000 complaints made in just one year.

Related Terms

Account Takeover (ATO) fraud, Phishing, Smishing, Vishing, Malware. Jargon Conversion: Account Takeover (ATO) fraud is when someone illegally gets into your online account and pretends to be you. Phishing is when scammers try to trick you with fake emails, texts, or calls to get your login details. Smishing is like phishing, but it uses text messages. Vishing is like phishing, but it uses phone calls. Malware is bad software that can get on your computer or phone and steal information.