‘Teaching people how to avoid scams is better than helping someone who’s lost a ton of money’: Scambaiters are going viral on YouTube

Meet the creators racking up millions of views by wasting scammers’ time and exposing their tricks.

Chances are, you or someone you know has been the target of a scam. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), reported scams cost Americans more than $12.5 billion in 2024—a 25% increase from the previous year. But as scams grow more sophisticated, so do their opponents.