Scams

Collier County Clerk Crystal K. Kinzel will serve as one of the Fraud Week Ambassadors for this year’s International Fraud Awareness Week. ACFE is the world’s largest anti-fraud organization and premier provider on anti-fraud training and education sponsors this annual effort to encourage community education and initiatives to raise awareness of fraud.

A scam targeting people being subpoenaed for court cases and demanding money to stave off an arrest is spreading around Southwest Florida.

Official City events can be seen via CapeCoral.gov; be wary of events that ask for payment if not officially sanctioned.

Tabria Josey, along with an accomplice, fraudulently listed underdeveloped plots of land with homebuilding or investment potential in several Florida counties. The case against her accomplice, Kiana Kiara-Alexis Russell, 22, of Loxahatchee, also involves charges of scheming to defraud, money laundering and aggravated white-collar crime and remains pending.The Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution filed the case in Lee County due to the fact that many of the victims and listed properties are in Lee County.

A claim of failing to appear for alleged jury duty is part of a new round of telephone scams emerging in Southwest Florida.

All complainants indicated that they received suspicious phone calls from the same phone number (239-351-5418) from individuals identifying themselves as either “Sergeant Jefferson” or “Lieutenant Cooper.”

Hurricane Ian brought the deadliest destruction Florida has seen in years, and with it, likely billions of dollars in damages. Florida officials and property insurers are warning people left vulnerable after the storm to not become victims twice and fall prey to common scams.

State health officials reported 3,312 COVID-19 cases, Monday and 81 deaths. Gov. Ron DeSantis says Florida’s vaccine eligibility will be expanded to any one 60 and older on March 15. Florida Ag Commissioner Nikki Fried is criticizing DeSantis’ vaccine rollout, saying it should be easier for medically vulnerable people to prove they’re eligible. DeSantis is criticizing the $1.9 trillion federal stimulus package, saying it penalizes states like Florida where officials reopened the economy relatively quickly. DeSantis is calling on the federal government to revise its distribution model, arguing that money should be allocated on a per-capita basis. Elected officials and advocates in Palm Beach County say the state should prioritize vaccines for farmworkers.

State health officials reported 8,847 new COVID-19 cases, Wednesday for a total of 1,018,160 cases. On Tuesday, Florida became the third state in the U.S., along with Texas and California, to surpass one million total cases.The Florida Department of Health also reported 88 new coronavirus-related deaths, Dec. 2, for a total of 19,012 fatalities since the beginning of the pandemic.

Cyber Monday means major deals for online shoppers.The pandemic has led more people to make purchases online and in a YouTube video released Monday, Florida’s Attorney General Ashley Moody said 60% of consumers plan to do their holiday shopping online this year.