APRIL 2019 NEWSLETTER

POA

Continued from page 6 Utility Scams

Imposters claim to be from one of the utilities in Florida and threaten to turn off the power, gas or water unless a payment is made. Should you receive such a call, hang up and contact your utility provider using the phone number that appears on your bill to determine the status of your account. Report any fraudulent utilities calls to your utility provider.

Company Imposters

Phishing Scams Similar to charity scams, some imposters seek to take advantage of trust placed into a long- standing or familiar business by sending communications that appear to be from the trusted business but are actually from a scam artist. Prior to providing a payment, ensure that you are doing business with the intended company; if you have any doubts, contact the company at the phone number or web address that appears on your billing statement. “Phishing” is a term that describes when online scammers copy the format and look of a legitimate company’s website or emails in an attempt to trick unsuspecting individuals to share their usernames, passwords, account numbers, credit card numbers or other sensitive personal information. They often do this by saying the individual must “confirm” or “update” their account information. If you receive an email asking for personal information, do not click any links or reply. Instead, contact that business using a phone number or web address you know to be genuine and confirm whether the email originated from them.

Filing a Complaint

If you believe you are the victim of an imposter scam, file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office online at www.myfloridalegal.com or by phone at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM . You may also file a complaint with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which acts as the State’s consumer complaint clearinghouse, at www.floridaconsumerhelp.com.

Source: The Florida Attorney General’s Office

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April 2019