Throughout the past several weeks, we highlighted some of the most common tax-related scams, like:
- Fraudulent Tax Preparers: These imposter tax preparers, often advertising the cheapest rates or promise the greatest refunds, but their real goal is to obtain a victim’s personal and financial information;
- Tax Identity Theft: When a bad actor uses, or attempts to use, personal information of another individual to steal a tax return;
- Refund Recalculation Scheme: Phishing messages sent to targets that look like a tax-refund payment or a recalculation of a tax refund. These messages contain a link asking targets to input personal information in order to claim a fake refund; and
- IRS Imposter Scams: When a scammer pretends to be the IRS by spoofing caller ID, emails or text messages to trick targets into believing the IRS is legitimately attempting to make contact—all in an attempt to steal personal information.
Stay Safe, Florida.
In The News
Moody warns Floridians of tax-season scams, Bay News 9
Be leery of crooks using tax season to steal your information, WFLA News Channel 8 Tampa
Florida sues Biden administration over crack pipe controversy: ‘Misguided, reckless policies’, FOX News
Florida Sues Biden Administration Over Crack Pipe Records Request, Daily Caller
Florida AG Moody Sues Biden Admin Over FOIA For Crack Pipe Records, The Tampa Free Press
Florida attorney general calls on Congress to impeach DHS Secretary Mayorkas, Center Square Florida
Florida AG warns of pet scams on National Pet Day, WPEC CBS 12 West Palm Beach
Protecting Floridians
Attorney General Moody Takes Legal Action to Investigate Whether Biden Used Taxpayer Dollars to Buy Crack Pipes for Drug Addicts
Attorney General Ashley Moody is demanding information about whether a Biden administration program used taxpayer money to purchase crack pipes for drug addicts. Attorney General Moody is taking legal action against two federal agencies due to withheld information with respect to the program’s suspected practices. In February 2022, Florida sent Freedom of Information Act requests to the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services seeking records regarding the alleged use of federal grant funds to promote drug use through safe smoking kits—in which some were reportedly found to include crack pipes and other drug-related paraphernalia. Now, more than a year later, with both agencies failing to reply to the state’s request, Attorney General Moody is taking DOJ and HHS to court to bring the information to light.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “If Biden is using your tax dollars to buy crackpipes for drug addicts, you have the right to know. Our country is in the grips of a drug overdose crisis, and the Biden administration is stonewalling our requests and keeping the public in the dark about so many misguided, reckless policies. We are taking them to court to get answers for the American people.” Read More
Following A Scathing Order Highlighting DHS’s Abject Failure at the Border, AG Moody Calls on Congress to Impeach Sec. Mayorkas
Attorney General Ashley Moody is urging Congress to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas following a
Read More
AG Moody and FTC Take Action to Shut Down Illegal Business Practices by Chargeback Company Impeding Consumers Disputing Credit Card Charges
Attorney General Ashley Moody is taking action against a company for helping businesses avoid credit card chargebacks from consumers. In a complaint filed in federal court, Attorney General Moody and the Federal Trade Commission allege that Chargebacks911 and its owners, Gary Cardone and Monica Eaton Cardone, are engaging in deceptive and unfair practices in violation of Florida law and the FTC Act by wrongfully impeding consumers’ attempts to dispute credit card charges through the chargeback process.Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “This company helped businesses fight consumer challenges to credit card charges—using false evidence. My Consumer Protection team, with the Federal Trade Commission, filed an action to shut down these illegal practices, and will continue fighting on behalf of Floridians.” Read More
CONSUMER ALERT: Attorney General Moody Provides Tips for Floridians to Avoid Puppy Scams on National Pet Day
On National Pet Day, Attorney General Ashley Moody is providing tips for Floridians to avoid falling for puppy scams. The Read More
Attorney General Moody Activates Price Gouging Hotline Following State of Emergency Declaration for Broward County
Attorney General Ashley Moody is activating Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline following reports of extreme flooding in Broward County. The following expansion comes as Gov. Ron DeSantis declares of a Read More
Events
This week, Attorney General Ashley Moody congratulated Director of Law Enforcement Relations and Victim Services Gary Howze on becoming the new Colonel of the Florida Highway Patrol. Gary served the Florida Attorney General’s Office and Floridians with excellence and integrity, and we look forward to continuing to work with Gary in his new role.
Attorney General Moody with University of South Florida students involved with the USF Tallahassee Internship Program.
