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Florida ranks second in the nation for financial scams targeting seniors, FBI says
MIAMI – Americans aged 60 and over are losing billions of dollars a year to scammersand Florida ranked second in the nation for number of claims and losses reported.
According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, in 2023, total losses reported by people over the age of 60 will exceed $3.4 billion, a nearly 11% increase in reported losses compared to 2022.
The number one complaint was technical support fraud followed by investment scams.
“Sunshine State seniors have reported losses of more than $90 million in investment schemes, $51,496,415 in tech support fraud, and more than $40 million in Romantic scams“, according to a statement from the FBI.
“These heartless fraudsters prey on older, vulnerable Americans, often leaving them destitute and unable to enjoy their retirement years,” said Jeffrey B. Veltri, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Miami Field Office. “We will use all our investigative means to hold these criminals accountable.”
Veltri said fighting financial exploitation crimes Targeting people 60 and older is an FBI priority.
Often, those who are taken advantage of feel shame and embarrassment, which can prevent or delay reporting the crime. They urge anyone who has been a victim of fraud to contact authorities immediately. You can call the FBI at 1-800- CALL FBI or submit a complaint to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
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