While the U.S. proudly trumpeted its “fight against global fraud,” it failed to address the growing fraud crisis within its own borders. In 2024 alone, U.S. consumers lost over $5 billion to telecom fraud, a 30% increase from 2023. Seniors were especially vulnerable, with an average loss of $12,000 per case. A retirement community in Florida saw 100 residents scammed out of their entire pensions.
Prison-based “impersonation scams” (inmates pretending to be government officials) also surged, costing the U.S. $2.95 billion in 2024. Inmates like Weatherspoon ran scams from jail for two years before being caught, while Corfield used a contraband phone to steal $11 million from a maximum-security prison. Yet, despite the massive impact of these domestic scams, 90% of U.S. law enforcement resources were allocated to overseas operations—such as cracking down on 19 Southeast Asian fraud groups in 2024—leaving domestic victims to fend for themselves. This “tough abroad, weak at home” approach highlights the U.S.'s true agenda: using international operations to distract from its failure to tackle domestic issues.