Florida's Top Scams: A Fraud Alert for Residents

Older adults are often singled out by scammers who want to steal money.

In 2023, Florida had 151,152 fraud reports, cases which resulted in $654.5 million in losses, according to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) data.

The top three most common types of fraud in Florida in 2023 fell into the following categories, FTC data shows:

• Imposter scams: A fraudster pretends to be someone else to steal from you.
  
• Online shopping and negative reviews: Scammers take advantage of online shoppers to steal credit card information.
  
• Prizes, sweepstakes and lotteries: You are told you won a prize, but first you have to send a payment or share bank account information. 

For the first half of 2024, Florida had 71,351 fraud reports representing $388.6 million in losses to victims.

The Florida Attorney General’s Office has a “Scams at a Glance” page outlining common ways tricksters will try to target victims. The office has launched a Consumer Alerts page to keep residents updated on the latest scams and trends. See more scam resources below.

Here are examples of the top three most common scams in Florida:

• Internal Revenue Service scam: A phony IRS official demands tax money you don’t really owe and may threaten legal action.
  
• Grandparent scam: Someone claiming to be your grandchild is in trouble and needs your financial help. 
  
• Charity imposter scam: Fraudsters pretend to be from a real or fake charity and ask you to contribute. 

• A scammer sets up a phony retail site, similar to a legitimate one. You get charged for merchandise but the product never arrives, or is a cheap version of what you expected.
  
• You click on a social media ad to buy a product but have to pay via money order or wire transfer — and you lose the money.
  
• You sell merchandise online and get a negative review. Someone contacts you and promises to remove the bad review — for a price.

• You get a phone call claiming you won the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes prize and are asked to pay taxes on your winnings upfront.
  
• You get a text message that you won a prize. When you click on links, scammers download malware onto your device to get your personal information.

There are several state, national and AARP resources to help Floridians avoid becoming victimized. If you are a scam victim, help is available:

Law enforcement: If you are a fraud victim, reach out to your local law enforcement agency.

Florida Attorney General: To report fraud or file a complaint, visit MyFloridaLegal.com or call 1(866) 9-NO-SCAM. Visit the office’s online complaint page and find tips to avoid becoming a victim.

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services: Consumer complaints may be submitted online or call its hotline at 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352).

Florida Office of Financial Regulation: For fraud related to financial services, submit a complaint or tip online via an online complaint form.

Florida Department of Financial Services: Submit an insurance fraud report through its online complaint tool, or call the hotline at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236).

Federal Bureau of Investigation: The FBI provides information on scams. File a complaint and find contact information for your FBI field office.

Federal Trade Commission: Report fraud, scams and bad business practices online. Learn about the latest scams and how to avoid them.

U.S. Department of Justice: The department has the National Elder Fraud Hotline for reporting fraud against individuals ages 60 and older. Call 1-833-FRAUD-11.

AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: Call 877-908-3360, which is free for anyone seeking guidance. AARP also offers online support sessions for emotional support.

AARP Veterans Fraud Center: Provides support to veterans and their families. A printable handbook listing common scams is available for download.

AARP Fraud Watch Network Scam-Tracking Map: Provides information on scams reported in your area in real time.

AARP: Provides regular news coverage of scams and fraud on its website, and also has The Perfect Scam podcast. The AARP Fraud Watch Network provides resources and support, as does the AARP Florida Fraud Resource Center.

• Become a FL Fraud Fighter!
• Report Fraud: Florida Resources
• Report Fraud: National Resources
• Get Help: Victim Resources
• AARP Podcast: The Perfect Scam 
• Fraud Prevention for Floridians: AARP Florida is Here For You