In 1989, some
of Florida’s most effective crime fighters were unleashed through
the creation of the Attorney General’s Seniors vs. Crime Project.
This effective unit has allowed seniors to become involved in not
only their own protection, but also that of their fellow citizens.
The Senior Sleuths program is well-known around the state and can
serve as the Attorney General’s eyes and ears, volunteer, or
actively assist in consumer protection investigations. These crime
fighters have been responsible for recovering over $8 million for seniors who were the victims
of con artists.
Volunteers work in offices known as
Offices. More than 3,000 and growing, Senior Sleuths volunteers
are providing important assistance to the crime fighting effort.
Unethical businesses and individuals may believe that their senior
target is helpless when, in fact, these citizens may be working for
the Attorney General.
I am proud to be a partner with these
outstanding citizens. Please give the Seniors vs. Crime Project a
chance to help with a consumer related complaint by calling
1-800-203-3099.
Bill McCollum
Attorney General
What's New?
Grandma Scam
June 2010. The Jax Regency Office, located in the Jax Regency Mall in
Jacksonville, had a client taken by a "Grandma Scam." She answered a call from
someone claiming to be her grandson who asked her to wire money via Western
Union so he could bond out of jail. She honestly thought that the receiver would have to show identification
to get the money. With Western Union this is not the case. All a person needs to
do is present an invoice number. A female scammer called our client and
identified herself as the grandson's attorney and asked for the Western Union
invoice number so she could "track the transaction and let the court know he had
posted bond." With the invoice number the scammers were able to get the money
from Western Union. Our client was out $3,000.
Western Union will not start an investigation until you file a police report so
we helped our client through that process. Her case has been referred to
economic crimes. Western Union is also investigating on their end using the
incident number and their security tapes. The money she thought was being sent
to Canada for her grandson actually got picked up by the scammers in Spain.
Since this incident the Jax Regency Office has spoken with banks and credit
unions about customer service and how to prevent these types of incidents. Our
client has arranged for our Senior Sleuths to speak at her church to a group of
75 seniors. She wants to do all she can to prevent others from having the same
thing happen to them.
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