Seniors vs. Crime - Crestview Office

03/18/2025

Friendly reminders about our good ol roundabouts!

🔄 Traffic moves counterclockwise.

👇 Slow down to 10-15 mph when approaching a roundabout. No need for an unwanted accident.

👀 Watch for pedestrians crossing when exiting or when approaching to yield, especially near the courthouse in Tavares.

🚫 Remember to yield at all entrances. Traffic in the circle has the right-of-way. No need to come to a complete stop if you're in the clear...you'll indeed be hated by others behind you.

03/18/2025

03/18/2025

02/18/2025

https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/investigations/10-investigates/rebuild/rebuild-florida-hurricane-irma-investigation/67-e12a769f-6c48-469e-8aec-93fd31eca3c5

They say they’ve paid the HOA fees for an empty lot for years for a new home, but a clerical error kicked them out of the system.

02/05/2025

IRS Impostor Scam
IRS Imposter Scams are aggressive and sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers. Callers claim to be employees of the IRS, but are not. They use fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a wire transfer or stored value card such as a gift card. Victims who refuse to cooperate are threatened with arrest, deportation, or suspension of a business or driver’s license. IRS Imposter Scams operating from abroad often use U.S.-based money mules to receive victim payments and transmit proceeds to perpetrators.

Source: Internal Revenue Services

02/05/2025

Social Security Administration Impostor Scam
Social Security Administration imposters contact prospective victims by telephone and falsely claim that the victim’s Social Security number has been suspended because of suspicious activity, or because it has been involved in a crime. They ask to confirm the victim’s Social Security number, or they may say they need to withdraw money from the victim’s bank and to store it on gift cards or in other unusual ways for “safekeeping.” Victims may be told their accounts will be seized or frozen if they fail to act quickly.

Perpetrators often use robocalls to reach victims. Victims may be told to “press 1” to speak to a government “support representative” for help reactivating their Social Security number. They also use caller ID spoofing to make it look like the Social Security Administration is calling. With such trickery, perpetrators convince victims to give up their Social Security numbers and other personal information. Social Security Administration imposters operating from abroad often use U.S.-based money mules to receive victim payments and transmit proceeds to perpetrators.

Source: Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General

02/05/2025

Some of the most common scams targeting seniors include:

Tech support scams
Criminals pretend to be IT support and offer to fix computer issues. They may request remote access to your computer to install malware or steal your information.

Grandparent scams
Criminals pose as a grandchild or other relative who needs money immediately.

Romance scams
Criminals pretend to be a romantic interest on dating sites or social media.

Sweepstakes scams
Criminals claim you've won a lottery or sweepstakes and ask for a fee to collect your winnings.

Government impersonation scams
Criminals pretend to be government employees and threaten to arrest you unless you pay them.

Charity scams
Criminals pretend to work for a charity and ask for donations.

Home repair scams
Criminals offer home improvement services in exchange for payment, but then never provide the services.

Medicare scams
Criminals pretend to be Medicare representatives and ask for personal information.

Funeral notification scams
Criminals send emails that appear to be from a funeral home, but actually contain malware.

Reverse mortgage scams
Criminals target seniors with ads and fliers for reverse mortgage scams. They may claim to help you access your home equity, but instead steal your money or commit deed fraud.

01/08/2025

SENIORS vs CRIME
A Special Project of the
Florida Attorney General’s Office

Crestview Office #850-423-0670
https://www.seniorsvscrime.com
https://www.myfloridacfo.com/safe/report-fraud-and-scams

If you have fallen victim to scams or fraud, we encourage you to file a report with federal and state agencies. Also, contact law enforcement offices in your local area to report the crime. Filing a report helps agencies educate and equip consumers with the information they need to help prevent fal...

01/08/2025

REPORTING SCAMS:
When reporting a scam—regardless of dollar amount—include as many of the following details as possible:
Names of the scammer and/or company
Dates of contact
Methods of communication
Phone numbers, email addresses, mailing addresses, and websites used by the perpetrator
Methods of payment
Where you sent funds, including wire transfers and prepaid cards (provide financial institution names, account names, and account numbers)
Descriptions of your interactions with the scammer and the instructions you were given
Whenever possible, you should keep original documentation, emails, faxes, and logs of communications.
If you believe you or someone you know may have been a victim of elder fraud, file a complaint at

If you have fallen victim to scams or fraud, we encourage you to file a report with federal and state agencies. Also, contact law enforcement offices in your local area to report the crime. Filing a report helps agencies educate and equip consumers with the information they need to help prevent fal...