JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The FBI in Jacksonville is warning people to be careful about online romance scams, especially with Valentine’s Day coming up.
Last year, more than 550 people across North Florida lost a total of $22.2 million to these scams, according to an FBI release.
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Scammers use fake dating profiles and pretend to be looking for love. They often ask for money or personal details and may use new tech to make their stories sound real.
The FBI says to check out who you’re talking to online, never send money or private info to someone you haven’t met, and don’t let anyone online try to cut you off from family and friends.
If you think you’re being scammed, stop talking to the person and report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
You can report it even if you didn’t lose money.
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