As peak tax season approaches, be aware of any suspicious activity using your personal information.  The IRS has reported incidents of tax fraud from victims.  There are victims reporting that they are attempting to file their taxes and are being rejected as their social security number has already been used by someone to do so.  With on-line methods for banking, shopping, and also a means of bill payment being more popular, it is important to safeguard your personal information.  It’s a good idea to purchase a cross cutting shredder and shred all documents that you no longer need prior to discarding them.

If you are a victim of tax fraud, you will need to file a police report with your local law enforcement agency and then with the IRS providing them with your case number.  The IRS will investigate the fraudulent activity.  It is a good idea to check your credit history periodically through Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion to ensure that you are not an unsuspecting victim. Continue reading

MOORE HAVEN, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis awarded more than $1 million in funding to the City of Moore Haven through two Rural Infrastructure Fund grants to improve and enhance the downtown area and attract new development, creating new jobs and improving the local economy. The City of Moore Haven will use the funds to complete roadway and stormwater improvements that will mitigate recurrent flooding and prevent pollutants from entering the Caloosahatchee River Basin Estuary.

“Our rural communities are the backbone of our state, and I will continue fighting for these communities,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “This infrastructure funding will help the Moore Haven area support current residents, protect the environment and better prepare for future growth.”  Continue reading

On February 10, 2022, in News Releases, by Staff

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) filed a proposed permanent rule that prohibits the issuance or renewal of licenses for facilities or organizations that house Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) whom the Federal Government is resettling across the United States, including Florida, unless there is a cooperative agreement between the State of Florida and the Federal Government.

DCF Secretary Shevaun Harris said, “Through its policies, the Federal Government has made a decision to encourage the mass smuggling of minors to the southern border without their parents. No government that claimed to care for children would ever tolerate this. The Federal Government’s careless policies have led to this unsafe situation, and Florida will no longer be complicit in it. By ending the State’s involvement with the UAC program, the proposed rule will finally force the Federal Government to take full responsibility for the care and treatment of the UAC population.” Continue reading

MARIANNA, Fla.,— Governor Ron DeSantis announced over $91 million in funding to communities across the Panhandle region through the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s (DEO) Rebuild Florida Mitigation General Infrastructure Program. Projects include improvements to wastewater and sanitary sewer, potable water, and stormwater systems.

I’ve said from the beginning that recovery from Hurricane Michael would be a long-term process,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Michael has forever left a mark on Panhandle communities, but through the funding provided today, we can ensure these communities are stronger and better equipped for the future.” Continue reading

Reports of jury duty scams have surfaced in at least five Florida counties in the past year—two of those warnings coming in this month alone.

Scammers are calling targets claiming they missed a jury duty report date and must make immediate payment to avoid going to jail, even though failure to appear for jury duty is not grounds for immediate arrest.

Court officials will also never demand payment over the phone or ask that payment be wired or made through a gift card.

There are few civic duties as important to our judicial system as serving on a jury. As a former judge, I’m livid that anyone would exploit this honorable process to scare citizens into paying a ransom. Continue reading

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, with the assistance of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, today arrested a business owner for stealing thousands of dollars from the Florida Medicaid program. Rasheia James owned a home health care service company that provided services for Medicaid recipients. According to the investigation, James knowingly created and submitted falsified documents to Medicaid for services not rendered. James allegedly billed Medicaid more than $9,600 for services never provided to customers that needed health and personal support care. Continue reading

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody today released online safety tips for Floridians in recognition of Safer Internet Day. In 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported that internet scammers victimized more than 50,000 Floridians, with nearly $300 million lost to online scams. Anyone can fall prey to these schemes—so, Attorney General Moody is issuing a warning to children, seniors and adults on Safer Internet Day to help Floridians guard against fraud.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “No one is completely safe online, and that is why we have developed resources to help protect Floridians on the internet. As we recognize Safer Internet Day, please take a moment to review your online security plan to ensure you are doing all you can to protect your identity, personal information and children from cybercriminals and predators.”

In the past year, Attorney General Moody has released online safety content for Floridians of all ages:

Online Safety for Children

Last month, Attorney General Moody released the 2022 Online Safety Toolkit, designed to help empower parents to teach their children about the dangers of human trafficking online and to create effective online safety plans for safe internet use. The toolkit contains pages of educational material aggregated from federal, state and local public agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Florida law enforcement and technology companies.

Online Safety for Seniors

In an effort to help seniors avoid scams, Attorney General Moody launched the Scams at a Glance program. The online resource provides tips and information through downloadable brochures designed to assist consumers with information and best practices to guard against fraud.

Online Safety for Adults

Attorney General Moody releases Consumer Alerts covering a wide range of topics, with many focusing on various tech-related scams that are reported to the Florida Attorney General’s Office.

Some of the latest, top technology-related Consumer Alerts include:

Malware that Drains Cellphone Batteries and Bank Accounts

Payment App Hack Attacks

QR Code Scams

Tips to Protect Passwords

To view other recent Consumer Alerts, visit Attorney General Moody’s Consumer Alert webpage at MyFloridaLegal.com/ConsumerAlert.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is declaring victory following a long legal battle with President Joe Biden, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over the federal lockdown of Florida’s cruise industry. Florida is the top state in the nation for cruises with approximately 159,000 hard-working Floridians who depend on the industry for their livelihoods. Good news for those families—following Attorney General Moody’s relentless legal efforts, Biden’s CDC has allowed the Conditional Sailing Order that shuttered the industry to expire, and now the state is moving to end the litigation.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “As the court said, Biden’s industry-wide shutdown was, ‘breathtaking, unprecedented and acutely and singularly authoritarian.’ Furthermore, his draconian order had a very real impact on thousands of Floridians who were just trying to feed their families. I am proud to stand with Governor DeSantis against the shuttering of our cruise industry, and declare victory over a federal government that has proven time and time again that it has no qualms about exceeding its authority—even when it prevents hundreds of thousands of Americans from working.”

In April 2021, Attorney General Moody filed a Complaint for Declaratory and Preliminary and Permanent Injunctive Relief in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. The complaint argued that the CDC does not possess the authority to issue yearlong nationwide lockdowns of entire industries. The complaint also contended that the CDC’s actions were arbitrary and capricious, and otherwise violated the Administrative Procedure Act.

Last June, the court granted Attorney General Moody a Preliminary Injunction, essentially shutting down the federal government’s unlawful Conditional Sailing Order in the state of Florida.

Florida fought the CDC all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States. Then, last month, the CDC let the order expire and announced that the order would not be renewed. Additionally, the CDC dismissed its appeal of Florida’s preliminary-injunction motion. Given the federal government’s abandonment of its order, Attorney General Moody today dismissed the matter and issued a statement outlining the legal and practical win for Floridians. Continue reading

by Dr. Jay King, DVM 

(NAPSI)—By the age of three, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of dental disease. If your pet has smelly breath, it could be a warning sign. Pet parents might not know that bad breath is caused by harmful bacteria and can be an indicator of oral disease. Harmful bacteria in the mouth can also work its way under the gum line, cause gum disease and get into the bloodstream. It gets worse. Bacteria in the blood can harm joints, damage organs and lead to chronic disease.

Doctor’s Advice

As a veterinarian, I want you to know it’s important to be proactive when it comes to pets’ oral health, and how easy and affordable it can be to vastly improve it with an oral-care probiotic. ProBiora3®, a proprietary blend of three beneficial bacteria strains, found only in ProBioraPet®, is all natural and packed with beneficial bacteria. This abundance of “good bacteria” crowds out the “bad bacteria” and does away with the source of bad breath. Simply sprinkle one scoop daily into your pet’s food. There’s no odor and no taste. Pets still happily enjoy their chow—and you can enjoy sweeter pet kisses. Continue reading

(NAPSI)—It’s still Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment season and many fitness-minded folks are choosing to sign up for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans because they appreciate the extra benefits such as subsidized gym memberships. If you have one of these plans, or you’re thinking of enrolling in one, then you may be ready to take the next step in your exercise journey by joining a new fitness center. Here are three tips to help you select the best fitness center for your needs: Continue reading

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CEP – Click to learn more

Subscribe to Newsletter

Subscribe

* indicates required
Newsletter and/or digital publication