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Jimmy Patronis Deploys Anti- Fraud Strike Team
to Highlands County Following Storm Damage |
Article Courtesy of The Florida Daily
By Kevin Derby
Published
April 11, 2022
Following the impacts of powerful storms
causing severe hail damage to homes and vehicles in Highlands County
this week, state Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis activated
and deployed Anti-Fraud Strike Teams to protect residents in the
surrounding areas from fraud.
Patronis’ anti-fraud teams work to educate and inform the public on
signs of fraud and ensure contractors are following all applicable
Florida laws while conducting repairs.
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“Following any natural disaster,
scam artists work overtime to defraud individuals in their
time of need and that is why I have deployed my Anti-Fraud
Strike Teams Florida to Highlands County to be on the
lookout for bad actors trying to make a buck off of the
damage caused by these storms. We’ve already gotten reports
of contractors in the area pitching roof repairs. From our
experience these business-pitches are more about fully
replacing roofs rather than normal repairs. We want to
eliminate any incentives for illegal acts and that’s why our
DIFS team is in the community to deter any fraudulent
activity,” Patronis said.
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“These strike teams consist of trained
insurance fraud investigators with specialized knowledge of property and
casualty fraud and workers’ compensation fraud that will be on the
ground today in the impacted areas to ensure residents can recover
quickly and lawbreakers are held responsible. It’s vital that consumers
know the warning signs of fraud and if you or a loved one believes they
have fallen victim to a scam, report it immediately at
FraudFreeFlorida.com,” he added.
These strike teams are made of investigators from the Department of
Financial Services’ Division of Investigative and Forensic Services (DIFS).
They are trained insurance fraud investigators with specialized
knowledge of property and casualty fraud and workers’ compensation
fraud. In addition to identifying active fraud operations in the field,
investigators will work with each community to educate homeowners,
homeowners’ associations and local law enforcement about the red flags
of fraud.
Indicators of Storm-Related Fraud:
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A contractor or restoration professional
who offered to waive or discount your insurance deductible.
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A contractor or restoration professional
that has received payment and has failed to provide any repairs to
your home.
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A contractor or restoration professional
who offered to provide repairs at a cash-only discounted rate and
has failed to provide repairs to your home.
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A contractor or restoration professional
who pressured you to sign an AOB and has failed to provide any
repairs to your home or stopped responding to your contact attempts.
To report suspected fraud, call the
Department’s toll-free Fraud Tip Hotline at 1-800-378-0445 or
visit
FraudFreeFlorida.com.
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