In recognition of Senior Day at the Florida Capitol, Attorney General Ashley Moody hosted volunteers with the Seniors v. Crime Program. The volunteers, called Senior Sleuths, assist the Attorney General’s Office and local law enforcement in identifying fraud and helping other seniors recover money lost to scams. Last year alone, Seniors v. Crime helped recover more than a million dollars for Florida seniors.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Protecting Florida’s seniors is a top priority of our office, and I want to thank our Senior Sleuths who are on the front lines of helping us fight fraud and protect older Floridians from scams. These volunteers also play an important role on our new Senior Protection Team, and I am grateful for the tips they bring our investigators and the recoveries they help secure.”
According to the Seniors v. Crime Annual Report, Senior Sleuths worked more than 2,000 cases of reported fraud last year. Nearly 600 cases resulted in recoveries totaling $1,146,057. The volunteers recovered an additional value of $986,327 through realized gains, such as a contractor returning to finish promised work or credits applied to a future purchase.
Seniors v. Crime is now assisting the Attorney General’s Office with Florida’s new Senior Protection Team. Attorney General Moody announced the Senior Protection Team during National Consumer Protection Week earlier this month. The team is comprised of leading members from the Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution, Consumer Protection Division and Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Seniors v. Crime and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are actively assisting the team with investigations and outreach efforts.
The goal is to bring attorneys and investigators specialized in fighting civil, criminal and health care fraud together to develop strategies to protect Floridians 60 and older. For more information about Attorney General Moody’s Senior Protection Team, click here. To report senior fraud, call 1(866) 9NO-SCAM or visit MyFloridaLegal.com.
