During this time of year, it's common for people to go online looking for love around the holidays.
But nearly 60,000 Americans have fallen victim to romance scams, and Florida is one of the leading states in the country for this crime.
Fake lovers have stolen nearly $700 million from hopeful romantics, according to a new report from BrokerChooser.
Florida leads the nation in average losses per victim at more than $25,000.
The Sunshine State reported $44 million in losses in just the first half of this year.
Arizona tops the list as the most vulnerable state for romance scams. Those are both states with largely elderly populations, as older Americans are taking the biggest financial hit.
Victims aged 60 to 79 account for more than $170 million in losses — more than half of all romance scam losses across all age groups.
Experts say to watch for warning signs, including requests for money and a reluctance to meet in person.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
