09/24/2024
đźš©đźš©PUBLIC SERVICE ANOUNCEMENT, be in the know and SHARE. SHARE. SHARE!
Hurricane Helene is slowly approaching and is predicted to make landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region in just a brief time after Hurricane Debby, who made land fall in the same region on August 5,2024. Floridians should be cautious of price gouging, disaster scams and fraud in the coming aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Attorney General Moody has a Price Gauging Hotline that should be active during this time.
It is important to still be vigilant for scams and price gouging. Unfortunately, there will be people looking to take advantage of Floridians recovering from the storm with disaster-related scams, such as contractor fraud and debris-removal scams. You can limit this by using word of mouth recommendations, looking up reviews on websites like Google, Better Business Bureau, social media accounts Etc., research and verifying companies and license are legitimate, and you can review Florida’s Scams at a Glance: After the Storm brochure. It is provided in English and in Spanish by visiting MyFloridaLegal.com. Scammers or UNQUALIFIED workers in-state and out- of-state may flood your area, taking advantage of people in need of legitimate services. It is quite common for QUALIFIED contractors to be in high demand and become booked up for months. This is not saying all people offering immediate services are unqualified or are scammers, there are those out there that will flood to a disaster area to provide a helping hand. Do your diligence to make sure you and or your neighbors do not fall victim to these people. It is also important to have knowledge of your local Jurisdiction’s building codes and emergency work and Permitting procedures during this time.
Anyone who suspects price gouging on storm-essential items can report it to the Florida Attorney General’s Office by using the No Scam app, visiting MyFloridaLegal.com or calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM. Attorney General Moody’s No Scam app can be downloaded for free on Apple and Android devices through the app store by searching No Scam.
The Florida Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division issues Consumer Alerts to inform Floridians of emerging scams, new methods used to commit fraud, increased reports of common scams, or any other deceptive practice. Consumer Alerts are designed to let Floridians know about scams and available refunds in an effort to prevent financial losses or other harm caused by deceptive practices. Anyone encountering a scam should report the incident to the Florida Attorney General's Office by calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM or visiting MyFloridaLegal.com. To view recent Consumer Alerts and for other information about avoiding scams, visit MyFloridaLegal.com/ConsumerAlert.
