MIAMI – The FBI warned the public Wednesday to stay vigilant against scams this holiday season, with Florida emerging as a prime target for financial crime.
“Florida is almost number two in almost financial crime and other crimes,” said Zacharia Baldwin, an FBI special agent specializing in financial crimes.
Baldwin noted that elderly residents are frequent targets of fraud schemes in the state.
“The biggest ones for them is romance fraud, tech support fraud, and then impersonation fraud,” Baldwin said.
The FBI also highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in facilitating online scams, including investment fraud.
“Investment fraud, especially in South Florida, reported was around 12 million and up now around 300 million,” Baldwin said.
During the holiday season, charity fraud scams also become more prevalent as scammers exploit the spirit of giving.
“The scammers are basically salesmen; they are selling the scam,” Baldwin explained.
According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Report, Americans lost $12.5 billion to scams last year, a sharp increase from $3.5 billion in 2019. More than 2,400 complaints are filed daily.
The agency also reminds the public to watch out for QR code scams, which can appear in the mail or in public spaces.
The FBI highlights also several scams to watch out for:
- Online shopping scams: Fraudulent deals shared through phishing emails or fake advertisements.
- Social media scams: Offers for gift cards or vouchers that direct users to surveys aimed at stealing personal information.
- Smartphone app scams: Apps disguised as games that collect personal data.
- Work-from-home scams: Job offers online promising convenience but intended to defraud participants.
- Gift card scams: Fake requests via email, text, or calls asking for multiple gift card purchases.
- Charity scams: Fraudulent charities preying on people’s goodwill.
To protect yourself, the FBI advises:
- Practicing good cybersecurity habits.
- Ensuring you know who you’re buying from or selling to.
- Being cautious about payment methods.
- Monitoring shipping details.
If you suspect you’ve fallen victim to a scam, contact your bank immediately, notify local law enforcement, and file a complaint with IC3 at www.IC3.gov. For additional tips, visit www.fbi.gov/holidayscams.
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