Operation Level Up: March 2026 snapshot reports 8,935 victim alerts
A later DOJ update reports an estimated $562.7 million in prevented payments; this is not money recovered.
- Cited claims
- 3
- Source records
- 3
- Edition revision
- 2
In this investigation
A newer dated snapshot
DOJ's 23 April 2026 update reports that, as of March 2026, Operation Level Up had notified 8,935 victims and estimated $562,726,245 in payments they otherwise might have sent to scammers. It says 77% were unaware of the fraud when contacted. This is a newer reporting period than the December 2025 figures still displayed on the FBI programme page. Neither series is a balance of recovered funds.
The reported snapshot
The FBI's Operation Level Up page reports that, as of December 2025, it had notified 8,103 victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud. It says 77% were unaware they were being scammed. The initiative began in January 2024 and aims to identify and warn people before further losses occur.
What the savings figure means
The page gives estimated savings of $511,511,288 and explains that the calculation compares average losses reported to IC3 with average losses among victims contacted through the operation. This is a prevention estimate. It must not be reported as cryptocurrency seized, funds recovered or cash already returned to victims.
The patterns described
The FBI discusses confidence-based investment approaches and some work-from-home schemes that require victims to deposit money to complete tasks. It advises stopping further payments and using official reporting channels when fraud is suspected. Because scammers can impersonate authorities, a claimed warning call should itself be verified independently rather than trusted merely because it mentions a real operation.
Sources, dates and limits
Checked 23 October 2026. The newer figures describe March 2026, not the audit date. The savings estimate is a counterfactual programme measure and is not equivalent to seized funds, reimbursements or a guaranteed individual result.
Evidence & sources
- Source reported
The FBI reports 8,103 victim notifications and estimated savings of $511,511,288 as of December 2025; the savings figure is a methodological estimate, not recovered funds.
Supporting excerpt: Operation Level Up
The estimated savings to victims is $511,511,288
Operation Level Up ↗ - Source reported
DOJ's 23 April 2026 update reports that, as of March 2026, Operation Level Up had notified 8,935 victims and estimated $562,726,245 in payments they otherwise might have sent to scammers. It says 77% were unaware of the fraud when contacted. This is a newer reporting period than the December 2025 figures still displayed on the FBI programme page. Neither series is a balance of recovered funds.
Supporting excerpt: DOJ April 2026 report: Operation Level Up March snapshot
8,935 victims
DOJ April 2026 report: Operation Level Up March snapshot ↗ - Source reported
The FBI's Operation Level Up page explains how to verify outreach and lists requests its employees will never make.
Supporting excerpt: Operation Level Up — FBI
Remember, FBI Operation Level Up employees will never:
Operation Level Up — FBI ↗
