Invoice Fraud Statistics
Last updated: June 2026 · 6 sourced statistics
The fake invoice is one of the oldest scams in business — and email has industrialized it. Business email compromise, where criminals impersonate a supplier and redirect a legitimate payment, now touches roughly three out of four organizations. These figures come from AFP's annual fraud survey and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Key takeaways
- 74% of organizations were hit by business email compromise in 2025 (AFP).
- FBI-reported BEC losses approach $2.8 billion per year.
- Average reported BEC losses run well over $100,000 per incident.
At a glance
Every figure on this page in one table, each linked to its named source. Scroll down for the full context behind each number.
| Figure | What it measures | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 74% | 74% of organizations were affected by business email compromise in 2025 — the most common route for fraudulent invoice and payment-redirect attacks (AFP 2026 survey). | AFP Payments Fraud and Control Survey | 2026 |
| 63% | BEC was cited by 63% of organizations as the No. 1 fraud avenue in 2024 (AFP 2025 survey). | AFP Payments Fraud and Control Survey | 2025 |
| ~$2.8B | Reported BEC losses were close to $2.8 billion in the FBI's most recent annual cybercrime report. | FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center | 2025 |
| $100K+ | Average reported losses per BEC incident exceed $100,000, based on IC3 complaint volumes and totals. | FBI IC3 Annual Report | 2024 |
| $145K | Occupational fraud cases (including billing schemes) cause a median loss of $145,000 per case, with billing schemes among the most common, per the ACFE's global study. | ACFE Report to the Nations | 2024 |
| 76% | 76% of US organizations experienced attempted or actual payments fraud overall in 2025 (AFP). | AFP Payments Fraud and Control Survey | 2026 |
The statistics
74% of organizations were affected by business email compromise in 2025 — the most common route for fraudulent invoice and payment-redirect attacks (AFP 2026 survey).
Source:AFP Payments Fraud and Control Survey2026
BEC was cited by 63% of organizations as the No. 1 fraud avenue in 2024 (AFP 2025 survey).
Source:AFP Payments Fraud and Control Survey2025
Reported BEC losses were close to $2.8 billion in the FBI's most recent annual cybercrime report.
Source:FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center2025
Average reported losses per BEC incident exceed $100,000, based on IC3 complaint volumes and totals.
Source:FBI IC3 Annual Report2024
Occupational fraud cases (including billing schemes) cause a median loss of $145,000 per case, with billing schemes among the most common, per the ACFE's global study.
Source:ACFE Report to the Nations2024
76% of US organizations experienced attempted or actual payments fraud overall in 2025 (AFP).
Source:AFP Payments Fraud and Control Survey2026
When these numbers don't apply
Aggregate statistics hide a lot. Read these caveats before quoting a figure as if it describes your specific situation.
- AFP figures skew toward larger organizations with treasury functions; small-business invoice-fraud exposure is measured separately.
- FBI BEC losses are reported figures — true losses are higher because many incidents go unreported.
- The ACFE median loss spans all occupational fraud, not invoice fraud alone; billing schemes are one category among several.
How we compiled this data
Compiled June 2026 from AFP's Payments Fraud and Control Surveys (2025 and 2026 editions), FBI IC3 annual reports, and the ACFE's biennial Report to the Nations. Reported-loss figures understate true losses since much fraud goes unreported.
We hand-collected each figure from its original publisher rather than recycling secondary round-ups, cross-checked the headline numbers against the source documents in June 2026, and link every statistic to the report it came from so you can verify it yourself. Where a publisher issues annual updates, we cite the report edition and flag the year inline.
Frequently asked questions
What is invoice fraud?
Any scheme using fake or manipulated invoices to extract payment: vendor impersonation via compromised email (BEC), fictitious-supplier billing schemes by insiders, and altered bank details on real invoices.
How common is invoice/BEC fraud?
Extremely — 74% of organizations encountered BEC in 2025 (AFP), and FBI-reported BEC losses run near $2.8 billion a year.
How do businesses prevent invoice fraud?
Verified callback procedures before changing vendor bank details, three-way matching of PO/receipt/invoice, segregation of duties, and positive pay on check accounts.
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