WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida is now ranked highest in the country for residents losing money to lottery and sweepstakes scams in the past five years.
A new Vegas Insider study looked at data from the Federal Trade Commission and tracked state complaints to compile the information. Floridians lost nearly $66.3 million in these scams since 2020.
These scams target victims through multiple channels including phone calls, text messages, social media platforms, fake charity solicitations, and physical mail. A common tactic involves calls from individuals falsely claiming to represent lottery organizations, telling victims they've won a prize.
The national impact is even more staggering, with Americans losing approximately $660 million to lottery and sweepstakes scams in the past five years.
Consumer experts say several factors make Florida a prime target for scams , like the state's large older population. Florida also tends to have high lottery engagement.
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