TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – In recognition of October as National Crime Prevention Month, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis is reminding Floridians about important ways to identify scams to avoid becoming a victim. Experts say that fraudsters often combine new technology with old tricks to get people to send money or give out personal information.   CFO Jimmy Patronis said, “The best way to avoid becoming a victim of fraud is to stay informed of new scam tactics. While technology has improved our daily lives, it’s being used by scam artists to develop creative new ways to steal your money. I encourage all Floridians to visit FraudFreeFlorida.com to learn about the latest tricks used by criminals. Stay on guard and learn how to spot scams before it’s too late.”   4 Fraud Prevention Tips   1. Beware of imposters. Don’t send money or give out personal information in response to an unexpected request — whether it comes as a text, a phone call, or an email. Scammers often pretend to be someone you trust, like a government official, a family member, a charity, or a company you do business with. 2. Don’t always trust caller ID. Technology can make it easy for fraudsters to “spoof” or fake caller ID information. If someone calls asking for money or personal information, hang up. If you think the caller might be telling the truth, call back to a number you know is genuine. 3. Hang up on robocalls. If you answer the phone and hear a recorded sales pitch, hang up and report it at FraudFreeFlorida.com. These calls may be illegal, and often the products are bogus. 4. Contemplate how you pay. Credit cards have significant fraud protection built in, but some payment methods may not. Wiring money through third-party wire transfer services are risky because it’s nearly impossible to get your money back. Scammers frequently encourage you to pay by money transfer apps like CashApp and Venmo. Typically, government offices and legitimate companies won’t require you to use these payment methods.

About CFO Jimmy Patronis  Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis is a statewide elected official and a member of Florida’s Cabinet who oversees the Department of Financial Services. CFO Patronis works each day to fight insurance fraud, support Florida’s firefighters, and ensure the state’s finances are stable to support economic growth in the state. Follow the activities of the Department on Facebook (FLDFS) and Twitter (@FLDFS).