ORLANDO, Fla. – According to the Federal Trade Commission, 70,000 people reported losing a record $1.3 billion to romance scams in 2022. Now new resources are available for victims.
News 6 has covered several cases of romance schemes right here in Central Florida including, a woman who lost $20,000 in a crypto investment scheme that made it appear as though she had earned more than $389,000 dollars in Bitcoin Day trading.
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Another family says they were tricked into investing in the Orlando Music Festival, believing one of them was in a romantic relationship with the organizer, only to be left with more than $700,000 in losses.
Federal agencies are responding to the problem and working to help victims.
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The Federal Trade Commission provides information on the latest schemes and how to avoid them, and provides a form so you can report the situation.
You can also report the scheme to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.
There is also a grassroots way for victims to share their stories and regain some of the money they lost. It is called “Digital Love Awareness.” It was created by a couple who were actually victims of a romance scheme.
To learn more about the situation, you can see the episode anytime on the News 6+ app.
You can also watch Solutionaries on the News 6+ Takeover on Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. as we look at more solutions to today’s problems.
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