Tag: scam

On Monday, state Attorney General Ashley Moody warned Floridians about texting scams that entice victims with suggestive messages. The scam is commonly referred to as the wrong number text scam. Floridians being targeted by a...

Moody was joined by a bipartisan coalition of 44 other attorneys general in raising concerns about the public health risks of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards in a letter to the companies’ chief executive officers.

Scammers pose as members of the College Board or other educational organizations and attempt to steal credit card information by offering fake test prep material with the promise of improving test scores.

As part of a massive COVID-19 relief package, direct payments from the Internal Revenue Service are headed to the bank accounts and mailboxes of millions of Floridians—creating the potential for new stimulus payment scams. Anytime a government benefit or program rolls out, scammers will try to exploit the situation for their own benefit.

While some telemarketing tactics are legitimate, the practice is often associated with fraudulent activity, scams, and identity theft. The proposed legislation is sponsored by state Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, and state Rep. Mike Beltran, R-Lithia. 

According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), consumers may notice an increase in suspicious texts or emails claiming to have information about the vaccine in exchange for personal information.

"Florida continues to face a fraud epidemic, as our state currently ranks second in fraud and identity theft reports nationwide. That is why it is so important to educate yourself and stay alert, so you don’t fall victim to a scammer looking to make a quick buck during the holidays. If you feel you've been a victim of fraud, report it immediately at FraudFreeFlorida.com," Patronis said on Monday. 

This latest scam impersonates the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The Attorney General’s Office offered a reminder to taxpayers that the federal government and state agencies will never require personal banking information to be disclosed via text message to receive stimulus payments.

The CFO’s office offered several Indicators of Storm-Related Fraud.

State Attorney General Ashley Moody is asking Floridians to be cautious when researching information about coronavirus COVID-19. A malicious website displaying a live map of COVID-19 cases mimicking a legitimate map by Johns Hopkins University...

Voice cloning technology enables users to make near-perfect reproductions of real people’s voices. There are several promising uses for this technology. However, according to the Federal Trade Commission, the technology can also be used by scammers to extort money, and the Wall Street Journal reported the technology was used last year to steal more than $200,000 from a U.K.-based energy firm.