Florida is one of the top three states in the country for reported fraud losses every year, and it is the single worst state for losses among adults aged 60 and older. Two factors drive that: a large retiree population that scammers target relentlessly, and a year-round flow of new residents and out-of-state buyers who are unfamiliar with local business practices. The scams below are the ones Florida residents file the most complaints about with the Florida Attorney General, the Federal Trade Commission, and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
Florida's fraud problem is structural, not random. The state has the second-highest population of adults 65 and older in the country, and seniors hold roughly 80% of the country's wealth. That combination — concentrated retirement savings, fixed monthly income from Social Security and pensions, and a generation that grew up trusting phone calls and mail — makes Florida the highest-reward, lowest-friction target market in the United States for international scam operations.
On top of the demographic factor, Florida's hurricane exposure creates predictable, repeating fraud waves. After every named storm, the FBI and FEMA issue warnings about contractor fraud, FEMA impersonation, and fake charity collections. The 2024 storm season alone generated thousands of disaster-related complaints. We track and update this guide whenever a new wave hits.
Florida has more reporting options than most states. Use as many as apply — each one feeds a different investigation pipeline.
If you have been targeted by a scam in Florida, file a complaint with the Florida AG Office at https://www.myfloridalegal.com/. You can also report federal-level fraud to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and the FBI's IC3 at ic3.gov.
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