Week In Review
This week, I kicked off our Summer Scams Series to protect Floridians and our millions of visitors. Summer is a popular time to travel, move and undertake home improvement projects. Consumers can spend large amounts of money on these ventures. Meanwhile, scammers follow the money and develop…
This week, in recognition of National Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day, I urged any law enforcement officer who may be struggling, to seek help. According to reports, approximately 100,000 officers in the United States suffer from PTSD, and first responders are more likely to die by…
Summer is here and so are the scorching temperatures. Floridians, especially our seniors, cannot endure the hot Florida summer without air conditioning. So, when an HVAC unit malfunctions, they must rush to have their units fixed. Bad actors may attempt to take advantage of the situation to sell…
This week, I issued a warning for parents—drug dealers are using social media to sell dangerous, sometimes deadly substances to kids. Minors may be increasingly susceptible to these digital dealers during the summer, when they have more free time to spend online. Using some of the most popular…
This week, I helped the Florida Association of Crime Stoppers kick off its annual conference. The association is such an important partner in our efforts to encourage citizens to engage with law enforcement to build safer communities. Through our work with Crime Stoppers, we have made innovative…
This week, we celebrated the grand opening of a new Seniors vs. Crime office in Tampa. This new office will help facilitate more face-to-face assistance for Floridians in an area with a large and growing senior population. As part of the grand opening celebration, we released the 2021 Seniors vs…
This week, we celebrated the grand opening of a new Seniors vs. Crime office in Tampa. This new office will help facilitate more face-to-face assistance for Floridians in an area with a large and growing senior population. As part of the grand opening celebration, we released the 2021 Seniors vs…
The 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season is just days away, officially beginning June 1. Last year saw 21 named storms develop, including seven hurricanes, marking the third most active season on record. Experts are predicting another active hurricane season this year, with as many as 3-6 major…
This week, we recognized National Police Week by continuing our Thin Line Tribute initiative at Florida Highway Patrol Troop C headquarters in Tampa. I launched the Thin Line Tribute one year ago this month to recognize the courageous, and often thankless, job front-line officers do on a daily…
May is Elder Law Month. It’s also Older Americans Month. This week, we recognized the occasions by highlighting some of the ways our office protects seniors. Millions of seniors call Florida home, and we want to make sure they can enjoy their golden years free from fraud. With this mission in…
This week, we secured a commitment of more than $680 million through our efforts to hold Walgreens accountable for its role in fueling the opioid crisis. Walgreens is the final defendant in our litigation challenging opioid distributors, manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies. This massive…
Florida is now experiencing an influx of new synthetic drugs—some even more powerful than fentanyl. This week, I filed an emergency rule to outlaw eight synthetic opioids known as nitazenes, adding these dangerous drugs to the state’s Schedule I controlled substances list. This means possessing…
Florida has new tools to help recruit more great law enforcement officers. Over the past couple of years, staffing shortages have been affecting law enforcement agencies across the country, especially in places where leadership doesn’t support those who protect and serve. Last year, I launched a…
The federal tax-filing deadline is just a few days away and millions of Americans will be busy this weekend preparing their taxes. This week, I issued a Consumer Alert for those last-minute tax filers, warning them not to use public Wi-Fi when preparing or uploading sensitive information.…
President Joe Biden has obliterated the southwest border, and it’s about to get even worse. The Biden administration is preparing to rescind Title 42, a pandemic-era rule that allows border agents to quickly expel migrants from countries where high levels of a communicable disease are present.…
Florida continues to be a leader in the fight to stop federal overreach. This week, standing with Governor Ron DeSantis in the Florida Capitol, I announced our role in leading a multistate action to end unlawful mask mandates for public transportation. Florida is joined in this important action…
Did you know that robotexts are now outpacing robocalls in terms of total messages received? Last year, more than 87 billion automated texts were sent nationwide compared to 72 billion robocalls. These automated messages often contain spam, malware or may even be connected to scams. This week, I…
For years, we have been warning about the dangers of fentanyl and how just one pill laced with this synthetic opioid can kill. Now, a new synthetic opioid has been found in Florida that is even deadlier. This week, we issued a dire warning about this emerging threat—Isotonitazene. The drug, more…
It’s National Consumer Protection Week, and in recognition of the occasion, my office is providing tips and resources to help Floridians avoid scams. Since taking office, my Consumer Protection Division has recovered more than $310 million in total relief for Florida—with more than $236 million…
This week, we are recognizing three years of the Back the Blue campaign. When I took office, I wanted to create an initiative that awarded Florida law enforcement who went above and beyond their call of duty and citizens who extraordinarily backed the blue. I also wanted to highlight those who…