New Report Finds North Carolina Is One Of The Most 'Catfished' States
By Sarah Tate
April 13, 2022
North Carolina is one of the most "catfished" states in the country, according to a new report by Social Catfish. The report uses data collected from the Federal Trade Commission and Federal Bureau of Investigation to determine which states were "catfished" the most and lost the most money from one romance scams.
According to the report, the FTC has measured romance scams as the No. 1 type of fraud in the U.S. over the past five years, with $1.3 billion lost to scammers. In 2021 alone, Americans lost $547 million, up from $304 million in 2020. The most "catfished" state was California, with an estimated loss of nearly $184 million in 2021, with Florida coming in a distance second place at a loss of $70.4 million.
So where did North Carolina fall on the list?
According to the report, the Tar Heel State ranked 15th overall for states that lost the most money to romance scams, with 539 victims losing around $17.3 million in 2021, per WNCT. This number is an increase from 2020, which saw 558 victims los more than $14.4 million.
These are the Top 20 states that lost the most money to romance scams:
- California
- Florida
- Texas
- New York
- Washington
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Colorado
- Virginia
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Illinois
- Arizona
- North Carolina
- Nevada
- Ohio
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- North Dakota
To avoid become a victim of fraud, never share personal information with someone you meet online, and never send the money if you've never met them in person. Check out the full report and see tips on how to avoid online scammers here.