VIDEO: Attorney General Moody Releases Consumer Protection Tips and Resources in Recognition of International Fraud Awareness Week

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla.-On International Fraud Awareness Week, Attorney General Ashley Moody is issuing tips to help Floridians avoid falling victim. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Americans reported approximately 2.6 million cases of fraud and lost more than $10 billion to fraud in 2023 - an increase of more than $1 billion in losses over the previous year. Attorney General Moody is sharing tips and resources to help Floridians avoid fraudulent schemes.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, "Last year, consumers nationwide reported losing more than $10 billion to fraud - an increase of more than $1 billion over the previous year. During International Fraud Awareness Week, I'm urging Floridians to learn how to spot fraudulent schemes and issuing tips to help them safeguard their finances. Staying informed and taking simple, but critical steps can be the difference between keeping your hard-earned money and huge financial losses."

Attorney General Moody is issuing the following tips to help Floridians avoid fraud:

• Check account statements regularly to ensure there are no fraudulent charges or withdrawals;
• Use credit cards for online transactions, as they offer additional fraud protection;
• Review credit reports at least once a year. Consumers have the right to a free credit report annually from the three major credit reporting agencies. To order a credit report, go to AnnualCreditReport.com;
• Never send personal or financial information via text or email;
• Shred unneeded sensitive documents; and
• Collect mail daily and set up mail forwarding or holding when away to avoid theft.

Attorney General Moody created two consumer-related programs to help Floridians learn about common and emerging scams.

Attorney General Moody's Consumer Alerts share information about emerging scams and the different ways new technology is being misused to deceive Floridians. Each alert is full of tips and resources to help Floridians avoid fraudulent schemes. To learn more, click here.

Attorney General Moody's Scams at a Glance program is another resource available to Floridians. This initiative contains shareable resources that show consumers how to avoid falling victim to common types of fraud and scams. To view Scams at a Glance resources, click here.

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