Romance Scammers Targeting Victims in Florida and Across the US

A Miami man lost $42,000 in an Ethereum investment scheme that began with a romance scam on Instagram, using the photograph of a woman claiming to be a CEO of Estee Lauder. The victim made small investments and saw gains, but when he tried to withdraw the funds, he was asked to pay, and his money disappeared. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission reported that losses to romance scams totaled $1.14 billion in 2023, advising people to never send money to anyone they haven't met in person and to be suspicious of promises of increasing their nest egg.