Elder Fraud in Florida

A 70-year-old Port Richey, Florida man lost tens of thousands of dollars to a romance scam involving an AI-generated woman named "Bonnie" who claimed to be in Australia; the scammers, traced to Nigeria, convinced him to take out loans, wire money, and send Bitcoin, leaving him facing a $22,000 bank debt and potential bankruptcy and loss of his home. The victim, a retired firefighter and police officer, is now advocating for other seniors to recognize warning signs, noting that Florida ranks second nationally in elder fraud cases, with only one in five victims reporting the crime.

A 70-year-old Port Richey, Florida man lost tens of thousands of dollars to a romance scam involving an AI-generated persona named "Bonnie" that originated from Nigeria; the scammer convinced him to take out loans, wire money, and send Bitcoin, leaving him facing a $22,000 bank debt and potential bankruptcy with his home at risk. Cruz, a retired firefighter and police officer, attributed his vulnerability to loneliness after losing all his family members, and now advocates warning other seniors to trust their instincts when something feels wrong. Florida ranks second nationally in elder fraud cases, with only one in five victims reporting the crime and a 40% increase in reports over the past five

A 70-year-old Port Richey, Florida man lost approximately $22,000 to a romance scam involving an AI-generated woman named "Bonnie" who claimed to be working in Australia; the scammers were traced to Nigeria and used Facebook messages and videos to build trust before convincing him to take out loans, wire money, and send Bitcoin. Cruz now faces potential bankruptcy and the risk of losing his home as his bank demands repayment, though he is sharing his story to warn other seniors. The case highlights Florida's ranking as the second-highest state for elder fraud in 2023, with only one in five victims reporting such crimes and a 40% increase in reports over the past

The Justice Department filed a civil forfeiture complaint against $868,247 in Tether cryptocurrency that was allegedly stolen through investment scams operated by the LME Crypto Group, which impersonated the London Metal Exchange and defrauded at least four victims across DC, Texas, Illinois, and Florida between September 2022 and February 2025. The scheme involved criminals establishing trust through misdirected text messages, then directing victims to fake investment platforms that displayed false profits before locking victims out of their accounts and stealing their funds, with one victim losing $1.3 million and another losing $30,000. The FBI recovered and is forfeiting the laundered cryptocurrency funds that were transferred through

Georgia ranks 7th nationally for senior fraud losses, with older residents losing an estimated $1.57 million per 100,000 people in 2024, while seniors across the U.S. reported $4.8 billion in fraud losses total. The most common scams targeting older adults include imposter scams, shopping fraud, and high-stakes crypto and romance schemes, with individual crypto and romance fraud cases averaging over $108,000 in losses. Experts recommend families discuss scams with elderly relatives, watch for pressure tactics and unusual payment requests, and report suspicious activity to protect the state's 1.7 million residents over 60.

Former U.S. Postal Inspector Scott Kelley, 51, of Massachusetts, was indicted on 45 counts for stealing over $330,000 in cash from packages mailed by elderly victims of a Jamaican lottery telemarketing scam between 2019 and 2023. Kelley, who led the Mail Fraud Unit investigating senior citizen scams, used his position to intercept approximately 1,950 flagged packages, launder the proceeds through money orders and multiple bank accounts, and even framed a subordinate for a separate $7,000 evidence locker theft. He faces up to 20 years in prison on each wire fraud and mail frau

**Scam Type:** Mail interception fraud and money laundering related to Jamaican lottery scheme targeting elderly victims **What Happened:** Former U.S. Postal Inspector Scott Kelley, 51, was arrested and indicted on 45 counts for allegedly stealing over $330,000 in cash from approximately 1,950 packages sent by elderly victims of a Jamaican telemarketing scam between 2019-2023. Kelley, who led the Mail Fraud Unit tasked with investigating scams targeting seniors, allegedly used his position to intercept victim mail, launder proceeds through money orders and multiple bank deposits, steal $7,000

A 59-year-old caregiver, Mónica Orta, was arrested in Doral, Florida on charges of economic exploitation, credit card fraud, identity theft, and organized fraud against an 86-year-old elderly client; the victim discovered fraudulent charges at Macy's and Nordstrom totaling hundreds of dollars, plus a missing $2,500 ring, with surveillance video confirming Orta used the victim's cards at multiple stores. Orta, who had an extensive criminal history of theft dating to 2004, had been employed as the victim's caregiver since July 2025 at a private community in Doral. The case

A Cape Coral resident fell victim to a text message scam impersonating the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, claiming he owed $6.69 for a toll violation and threatening license revocation. Over 12,000 similar government impersonation scams were reported in Florida this year, resulting in losses exceeding $26 million. Authorities advise verifying such messages by contacting toll agencies directly, avoiding clicking links or sharing financial information, and reporting suspicious messages to the Federal Trade Commission.

Florida ranks second nationally in romance scam losses, with victims losing over $70 million annually to catfishing schemes where scammers build emotional trust before requesting money for emergencies or investments. The state's large retiree population, social isolation, and prevalence of online dating platforms create ideal conditions for predators who often pose as military personnel or overseas businesspeople and are frequently based internationally, particularly in Nigeria. While Florida lacks a specific anti-catfishing statute, perpetrators can be prosecuted under existing fraud, identity theft, and cyberstalking laws, and victims are advised to report incidents to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center and verify online identities before sending money.

Arizona is projected to lose over $4 billion to financial fraud in 2024, with the state ranking 11th nationally in fraud rates at 1,459 cases per 100,000 residents, according to a Common Sense Institute report. Common fraud types affecting Arizonans include grandparent scams, romance scams, gift card scams, skimming, and forgery, with experts noting that only about 14% of fraud is reported to authorities. Researchers recommend that families help protect older adults—who are at higher risk due to lower technological familiarity—by teaching them to verify sources before sharing financial information online.

Logan Morrison, a certified nursing assistant at Dayspring Senior Living LLC in Hilliard, Florida, was arrested on August 28, 2025, for one count of abuse of a disabled adult after allegedly grabbing and shoving a disabled resident to the ground. The arrest was made by the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit with assistance from the Nassau County Sheriff's Office.

Sarah's widowed father lost $80,000-$90,000 in retirement savings to a romance scam and additional cryptocurrency scams over five years, forcing him to take out a home equity line of credit to cover the losses. The case highlighted the importance of setting financial boundaries within families and approaching victims with empathy rather than judgment to encourage them to seek help. According to the FBI, Americans aged 60 and older reported $4.88 billion in fraud losses in 2024—a 43% increase from 2023—with the FTC warning that impersonation scams are increasingly targeting older adults' life savings.

A Florida retiree lost approximately $90,000 in retirement savings to a romance scam and cryptocurrency scam over five years, forcing him to take out a home equity line of credit and accumulate debt. His daughter Sarah sought advice on how to help her father while protecting her own family's finances, with experts emphasizing the need for boundaries and compassionate communication. The case underscores a broader crisis: Americans aged 60 and older reported $4.88 billion in fraud losses in 2024, a 43% increase from 2023, with impersonation scams increasingly targeting older adults' life savings.

An 86-year-old grandmother from South Philadelphia lost $6,000 in a grandparent scam after receiving a call from someone impersonating her granddaughter claiming to be in a car accident and detained by police; a man posing as a lawyer demanded money and arranged for someone to pick up the cash from her home. The scam is part of a larger trend of elder fraud that affected over 147,000 victims in 2024 with nearly $4.9 billion in losses, with criminals increasingly using AI voice cloning technology to make their impersonations more convincing. Experts recommend asking callers questions only real family members would know and establishing a family security word for emergencies.