If you live in South or Central Florida and feel like you get more scam texts and calls than everyone else, the official numbers back you up. Here’s what the data says about Miami, Orlando and Tampa, the scams to watch for, and how to check a message before you act.
What the data says
The FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2024 ranks metro areas by reports per 100,000 people. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach came first for fraud and other reports, at 2,793 per 100,000, and first for identity theft reports, at 903 per 100,000. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford ranked 4th (2,330 per 100,000) and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater 9th (2,051) for fraud and other reports (FTC Consumer Sentinel Data Book 2024).
A separate composite ranking by All About Cookies, which combines fraud and identity theft reports, spam call complaints, robocalls and scam-related searches, put Baton Rouge first, followed by Miami, Orlando, Atlanta and Tampa. It noted that Florida has three of its top 10 cities (All About Cookies). Its 2026 follow-up found Miami’s fraud report rate fell about 40% from 2024 to 2025, but Miami still had the highest per-capita rate of any city (All About Cookies).
One caveat: these are reports people chose to file. The FTC says its Data Book is based on unverified consumer reports, not a survey.
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Scams to watch for
Unpaid toll texts
A text says you owe a small toll and must pay now to avoid a fee. The FTC says a text like this is probably a scam (FTC), and the FBI has warned about toll smishing texts that link to look-alike payment sites (FBI IC3). Check your balance through the toll agency’s own app or website. Read more in our toll text guide.
Family emergency (grandparent) calls
A caller claims to be a grandchild, or someone helping them, in trouble and needing money fast and secretly. The FTC says to hang up and call the person on a number you know is theirs (FTC), and warns scammers may use AI to clone a voice (FTC). See our family emergency scam guide.
Romance and investment scams
A new online match moves quickly to private chat, never meets on video, then asks for money or pushes a crypto “opportunity.” The FTC’s advice is never to send money or gifts, including crypto or gift cards, to someone you haven’t met in person (FTC). Helping a parent? Read our romance scam guide.
Fake websites and tech support pop-ups
Look-alike shop, bank and delivery sites, and pop-ups saying your computer is infected. Check the domain before you pay, and remember that real tech companies don’t put up pop-ups asking you to call a number (FTC).
How to check before you act
- Paste the number into the free phone scam check.
- Run the website through the free domain scan.
- Contact the company or person yourself, using a number you already trust.
- For ongoing protection, ImposterWatch Personal (US$9/month, cancel anytime) adds AI-powered checks, breach alerts for up to three email addresses and account recovery help.
If you already paid or shared details
- Call your bank or card issuer on the number on your card.
- If your identity was used, go to IdentityTheft.gov.
- Change passwords for any account you entered on a suspicious site.
Where to report
- US: ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the FBI’s IC3.
- Australia: Scamwatch.
- UK: Action Fraud (or Report Fraud in Scotland via Police Scotland 101).
- Canada: the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
- New Zealand: Netsafe.
Questions
Is Miami really the scam capital of the US?
By the FTC’s per-person measure, yes for 2024: the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro area had the most fraud and other reports per 100,000 people (2,793) and the most identity theft reports (903 per 100,000) of any US metro area.
Does that mean more scams happen there?
Not necessarily. The FTC’s figures are reports people chose to file, not a survey, and many scams are never reported.
Which Florida cities rank highest?
In the FTC’s 2024 table, Florida had six of the top 10 metro areas for fraud and other reports, including Miami (1st), Orlando (4th) and Tampa (9th).
I got a text about an unpaid toll. Is it real?
The FTC says a text about unpaid tolls is probably a scam. Check your account through the toll agency’s official website or app instead of the link.
Got a suspicious text, call or link?
Check the number with the free phone scam check, or a website with the free domain scan. ImposterWatch Personal (US$9/month, cancel anytime) adds AI-powered checks, breach alerts for up to three email addresses and account recovery help.
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