'Panic and confusion': 3 popular phone scams Floridians need to watch out for

Each year, billions of dollars are lost at the hands of scammers who have mastered the art of impersonation. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Americans lost $8.8 billion to scams in 2022. 

Law enforcement agencies across Florida consistently warn residents on social media about the different types of scams targeting both the young and old. On average, a person lost $1,400 in phone call scams in 2022. 

Most recently, the Ocala Police Department issued a public alert about phone scams resulting in people getting their personal information and money stolen over the phone. 

In all three scams, the caller was acting as an impostor – which was the number one scam of 2022. 

One scam involved a caller who claimed to be an IRS agent and demanded immediate payment of taxes owed. 

The second scam involved a caller who posed as a representative from a technology company claiming that the person's computer had a virus. 

The third scam involves the infamous ‘bail me out of jail’ tactic. In this scam, a caller pretends to be a person's loved one and claims they've been arrested. The caller then proceeds to ask for money so they can bail themselves out of jail. 

Each of these scams is designed to create panic and confusion among the victims. 

"If an unsolicited caller pressures you to provide personal information or make an immediate payment, there's a good chance it's a scam. Hang up," the Ocala Police Department said. 

Other top frauds of 2022 were online shopping scams, prize and sweepstake lotteries, investment scams, and business and job opportunities.