JACKSONVILLE, FL—The FBI Jacksonville Division warns Floridians to take caution when developing relationships online as they could be targeted in confidence fraud schemes, also known as romance scams. According to the FBI’s Internet Crimes Complaint Center (IC3), Floridians reported losing more than $62 million to various forms of romance scams in 2023, up from $20 million five years earlier (2018). IC3 received 17,832 confidence fraud complaints nationwide in 2023, with reported losses exceeding $652,554,805.

Confidence fraud/romance statistics for Florida:

• 2018: 1,191 victims, $20,555,538 in reported loses
• 2023: 1,351 victims, $62,867,005 in reported loses

The criminals who carry out confidence/romance scams will often identify and target victims via social media and seek to establish a relationship as quickly as possible. Scammers may spend hours researching their victims to better manipulate and exploit them emotionally. They often claim to be traveling or engaged in work overseas to avoid meeting in person. When they feel they have gained their victim’s trust, they request money to cover an expense or promote a financial investment opportunity.

The FBI recently launched a campaign called “Operation Level Up” to increase awareness of cryptocurrency investment scams, commonly described as “pig butchering,” which are among the most prevalent and costly fraud schemes today. Through various means of manipulation, scammers convince victims to deposit more and more money into financial “investments” using cryptocurrency. In truth, these investments are fake; all victim money is under the control of – and ultimately stolen by—criminal actors, usually overseas. As a result, victims typically lose all the money they invested.

Be careful about the personal information you post online, and always assume that con artists are trolling even the most reputable dating and social media sites. Consider these helpful tips:

• Research the person’s photo and profile to see if the material appears elsewhere.
• Take the relationship slowly and ask questions.
• Beware if the individual seems too perfect or quickly asks you to communicate “offline."
• Beware if the individual requests inappropriate photos that they could use to extort you.
• Beware if the individual promises to meet in person but always has an excuse.
• Never send money, cryptocurrency or gift cards to anyone you don't know personally; never help anyone move money through your account or another person’s account (see Money Mule).

If you suspect an online relationship is a scam, stop all contact immediately and file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

Resources

• Romance Scams – www.fbi.gov/romancescams
• Operation Level Up – www.fbi.gov/levelup
• Level Up Press Kit: Operation Level Up Electronic Press Kit (for Press/Media Use) — FBI
• Level Up Press Release: FBI Takes Action to Protect Your Hard-Earned Money — FBI
• Money Mule – www.fbi.gov/moneymule
• IC3 Annual / State Reports – www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports