TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is highlighting millions in recoveries for consumers nationwide in recognition of the 2020 Consumer Protection Week. Since taking office, Attorney General Moody’s Consumer Protection Division has recovered more than $153 million through settlements and court-ordered relief for Floridians and consumers nationwide.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Recovering money for consumers is just one of the many functions of my Consumer Protection Division. We are also working daily to stop fraud and hold scammers accountable for the chaos they inflict on the lives of our citizens. I have always believed building a strong business community that responsibly serves the needs of its customers is essential to the wellbeing of all Floridians. I will not let criminals and scammers take advantage of our consumers and try to undermine our legitimate businesses, and that is why our skilled team of attorneys and investigators will continue to diligently pursue fraudsters trying to steal Floridians’ hard-earned money.”
After taking office in 2019, Attorney General Moody launched several major initiatives to increase fraud reporting, enhance enforcement actions and prevent scams. Below are just a few of the new fraud-fighting initiatives:
- Created a Consumer Alert Program to warn Floridians about emerging scams and highlight steps to take to avoid falling victim to fraudulent schemes;
- Launched the reporting app NO SCAM to increase effective reporting of price gouging allegations during declared states of emergency;
- Assembled an intra-agency group of skilled attorneys and investigators called the Senior Protection Team to fight fraud targeting older Floridians; and
- Increased cooperation and communication among the Consumer Protection Division, Office of Statewide Prosecution and local law enforcement agencies to help facilitate further review of criminal allegations that fall outside the civil jurisdiction of the Attorney General’s Office.