CFO Jimmy Patronis Issues Proclamation Recognizing March as Fraud Prevention Month

MyFloridaCFO, March 7, 2024

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis issued a proclamation recognizing the month of March as Fraud Prevention Month. Since 2017, CFO Patronis has made it a top priority to protect consumers from fraud by launching the Fraud Free Florida initiative and standing up additional fraud investigative task forces throughout the state. If you or someone you know is suspicious of fraud, report it immediately at FraudFreeFlorida.com.

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, the month of March is designated as Fraud Prevention Month, with the purpose of educating consumers and businesses about scams and furnishing them with the appropriate information on how to protect themselves from falling prey to unfair business; and

WHEREAS, the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) is focusing its efforts on educating topics such as identity theft, phishing, misleading advertising, online shopping, false lotteries, and health fraud; and

WHEREAS, the ICPEN efforts target particular audiences, such as the young, the elderly, small businesses, and charities; and

WHEREAS, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported an overall increase in the number of fraud reports and dollars lost in 2023, with 2.6 million reports and over $10 billion dollars stolen; and

WHEREAS, according to a report from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) released in 2023, Florida residents lost nearly $845 million from scams, the second highest amount in the country; and

WHEREAS, in response to Florida’s ongoing fraud epidemic, I, as CFO, have launched Fraud Free Florida, an anti-fraud initiative and website aimed at better coordinating collective investigative efforts and to protect Florida’s consumers from scams; and

WHEREAS, the Fraud Free Florida program has established a $25,000 reward program to incentivize and encourage individuals to report information on suspected insurance fraud that can lead to an arrest and conviction.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal of the State of Florida does hereby recognize March as

FRAUD PREVENTION MONTH

and encourages all Floridians to be diligent and alert against potential scams.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF the Chief Financial Officer of the State of Florida has hereunto subscribed his name on the 7th day of March 2024.

News article: CFO Jimmy Patronis Issues Proclamation Recognizing March as Fraud Prevention Month (myfloridacfo.com)