TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is taking action against Google for multiple violations of federal and state antitrust and consumer protection laws—including anticompetitive conduct, exclusionary practices, and false and deceptive misrepresentations in connection with its role in the multitrillion-dollar online-display advertising industry. Google also made false and deceptive misrepresentations to consumers regarding Google’s privacy practices. Google’s monopolization of online-display advertising involves an anticompetitive agreement with Facebook, making misrepresentations to users and customers, and suppressing competition. Attorney General Moody is joined by a bipartisan multistate coalition of 14 other state attorneys general in the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “For far too long, Google has used its size and position as one of the largest tech giants in the world to manipulate and unfairly monopolize the marketplace. The core of American economic success lies on our foundation of capitalism and a free, fair and competitive marketplace.

“Google knowingly and willingly monopolized the products and services used by advertisers in online-display advertising. The company also engaged in false and deceptive acts while buying and selling the online-display ads. Through their monopolization and deceptive acts, Google greatly decreased other publishers’ ability to monetize their content while simultaneously increasing costs to advertisers. Most of all, Google harmed consumers, including the millions of Floridians who use the search engine daily.” Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody today issued a Consumer Alert warning Floridians of the possibility of a resurgence in stimulus payment scams as another round of direct payments from the federal government head to Florida. As part of a massive COVID-19 relief package, direct payments from the Internal Revenue Service are headed to the bank accounts and mailboxes of millions of Floridians—creating the potential for new stimulus payment scams. Anytime a government benefit or program rolls out, scammers will try to exploit the situation for their own benefit.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “With many Americans set to receive direct payments from the federal government, we expect scammers will devise schemes to exploit the massive spending to trick recipients into parting with personal or financial information. Be smart. Seek out trusted sources of information about when your payment will be received and never respond to solicitations asking you to provide personal information or payment to receive a stimulus check.”

Floridians expecting stimulus payments should know:

The IRS will never call a consumer directly, nor will the IRS send unsolicited emails, texts or social media messages;

Recipients will not be required to make a purchase to receive a stimulus check;

Offers advertising expedited delivery of the stimulus payment for a fee are suspicious and can be scams; and

Solicitations asking receivers to click a link or provide sensitive information are probably scams. Continue reading →

Dear Friends,

This is the last column of the 2021 Legislative Session and by next month we will be ready to report on what all transpired during our time in Tallahassee. This session may be one of the most impactful years we’ve had in the Florida Senate. Even though we’ve filed less bills than previous years, the substance of the few that we have are some really big lifts. Here’s an update on some of those.

SB 90, a bill filed by your Senator, addresses a number of issues related to election administration and vote-by-mail. Simply put, we’re looking to eliminate potentially weak areas of our voting process and ensure Florida’s citizens that it will be easy to vote, but very hard to cheat. One provision in SB 90 addresses ballot harvesting so that no person may possess a ballot other than his or her own and those of immediate family members. We are eliminating the use of drop boxes so that the ballot harvesting prohibition can be enforced and to prevent bad actors from having the opportunity to spoil ballots. The second largest provision in the bill expands the timeframe for canvassing vote-by-mail ballots, providing that one vote-by-mail ballot request is good for all elections through the next regularly scheduled general election. Current law states that one request is good for all elections through the next two general elections. This change is necessary to provide voters with more flexibility to decide which method of voting they want to utilize, instead of being locked in for two cycles. Continue reading →

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced more than $4.6 million in awards to communities in Northwest Florida that were impacted by Hurricane Michael through the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s (DEO) Rural Infrastructure Fund (RIF). In 2020, the Florida Legislature created a special appropriation for RIF projects in Calhoun, Gadsden, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, and Washington Counties. These funds were appropriated to bolster infrastructure and promote economic development in these rural communities.

“My administration remains committed to areas still recovering from past storms,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “This $4.5 million will go a long way toward giving some of the rural areas affected by Hurricane Michael the extra boost they need to attract investment and improve their economies.”

The Rural Infrastructure Fund is administered by DEO and provides funding to facilitate the planning, preparing, and financing of infrastructure projects in rural communities. Improving current infrastructure encourages job creation, capital investment, and the strengthening and diversification of rural economies through the promotion of tourism, trade, and economic development.

“I extend my appreciation to Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for their continued commitment to assist Northwest Florida communities impacted by Hurricane Michael through the special appropriation of Rural Infrastructure Funds,” said Dane Eagle, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. “We look forward to working with these rural communities to help foster economic development and infrastructure projects in this region.” Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody’s efforts to protect Floridians and hold scammers accountable continue this week as Florida recognizes National Consumer Protection Week. Since 2019, Attorney General Moody’s Consumer Protection Division has secured more than $260 million in restitution and other relief for Floridians. Efforts to protect consumers quickly evolved early last year as COVID-19 began to spread and Florida fell under a state of emergency.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “As COVID-19 spread, so did scams exploiting the pandemic. Inevitably, as millions of Floridians started working from home to slow the spread of the virus, new schemes emerged capitalizing on fear of the virus and using the government’s response as a basis for creating new scams. These schemes relied heavily on technology—using emails, texts and robocalls as tools to reach targets in order to steal consumers’ money and personal information.

“I am proud of the response by my Consumer Protection attorneys and investigators quickly adapting to this new environment to protect Floridians from fraud and deception. Because of their hard work, we have recovered millions of dollars for consumers and helped prevent countless Floridians from falling victim to emerging scams by issuing Consumer Alerts as we learn of new schemes. This Consumer Protection Week, we will focus on some of the great work these dedicated public servants are doing to help build a Stronger, Safer Florida.”

Florida remains under a state of emergency due to the pandemic and Attorney General Moody’s Price Gouging Hotline remains active. Through reports to the hotline and other contacts with the Attorney General’s Office, millions of dollars are being recovered and well over 10,000 consumer concerns have been addressed.

For more on Attorney General Moody’s efforts to prevent price gouging and provide consumer relief amid the COVID-19 State of Emergency, click here.

In addition to fighting to protect consumers amid the pandemic, since taking office in 2019 Attorney General Moody has worked to stop a myriad of scams and deceptive trade practices. A few of the notable cases include:

State of Florida v. Client Care Experts: Client Care Experts operated a tech support business that allegedly exploited consumers’ fears about computer viruses, hackers and other security threats to dupe consumers into purchasing costly and unnecessary technical support services and software. To date, the Attorney General’s Office has obtained three consent final judgments imposing permanent injunctions and more than $12.5 million in total relief, including $10 million in restitution to consumers. The case is still active against the remaining defendants in the scheme and collection efforts are ongoing.

State of Florida v. Ocwen Financial Corp: Attorney General Moody and the Florida Office of Financial Regulation brought a joint action against Ocwen to address deficiencies in Ocwen’s residential mortgage loan servicing, including alleged failure to accurately onboard loans to its system of record, mishandling borrowers’ escrow accounts, overcharging borrowers’ accounts and sending misleading communications about borrowers’ accounts. Through a consent judgment entered by the federal district court, the Attorney General’s Office secured more than $11 million in total relief, including $6.5 million in debt relief for eligible borrowers and more than $2 million in restitution.

State of Florida v. PEAKS Trust: PEAKS Trust, a private loan program run by ITT and affiliated with Deutsche Bank entities, extended temporary credit to students that the business allegedly knew or should have known would not be able to repay. When the temporary credit became due, ITT pressured and coerced students into accepting loans from PEAKS that often carried high interest rates. Attorney General Moody and a coalition of other state attorneys general took action to secure approximately $330 million in debt relief, including more than $24 million for Floridians.

Guiribitey Cosmetic and Beauty Institute, Inc. d/b/a CG Cosmetic Surgery: Attorney General Moody’s Consumer Protection Division investigated CG Cosmetic Surgery based on allegations that the company engaged in deceptive or unfair acts toward consumers in Florida and elsewhere in connection with the advertising, promoting, marketing and offering of plastic surgery services. As a result of action taken by Attorney General Moody’s Consumer Protection Division, CG Cosmetic Surgery issued refunds to consumers totaling more than $274,000.

FTC and State of Florida v. American Veterans Foundation and Paul Monville: American Veterans Foundation claimed donations would help prevent veteran homelessness. AVF made multiple promises, including that the organization would send care packages to service members overseas and help veterans get counseling. However, the Attorney General’s Office’s investigation revealed that less than three percent of the funds went to helping homeless veterans and most contributions went toward fundraising, employee compensation and other overhead. As a result of joint action with the Federal Trade Commission, the Attorney General’s Office secured a permanent injunction and order requiring AVF and its principal Paul Monville to pay more than $119,000 to be redistributed for charitable purposes, a portion of which was used in building a specially adapted smart home in Jupiter for a veteran injured in the line of duty.

In recognition of National Consumer Protection Week, Attorney General Moody will be highlighting additional efforts to protect Floridians. Attorney General Moody will also be reaching out directly to consumers through social media.

To follow the week-long Twitter campaign, visit Twitter.com/AGAshleyMoody.

To report consumer scams or deceptive business practices, visit MyFloridaLegal.com or call 1(866) 9NO-SCAM. To report suspected price gouging, consumers can also download the No Scam app. For more information on the app, click here.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is securing millions of dollars for Florida through efforts to hold accountable corporations responsible for helping fuel the deadly opioid epidemic. Attorney General Moody today announced the results of a multimillion-dollar action against a marketing company that helped turbocharge the opioid epidemic through a marketing collaboration with Purdue Pharma.

Florida joins a coalition of attorneys general from 47 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories in the $573 million action with one of the world’s largest consulting firms, McKinsey & Company. The multistate action resolves investigations into the company’s role in working for opioid companies to help promote products that fueled the opioid epidemic. As a result, Florida will receive more than $40 million—a majority of which will be made available for allocation by Florida lawmakers during this critical time.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “I’m pleased this money will be available to help Floridians very soon, and I will work alongside our great legislative leaders to ensure funds are allocated to areas hit hard by the opioid crisis. While securing these funds is a great win for Florida, our work is far from over, and I remain committed to fighting tooth and nail, both inside and outside the courtroom, to stop the death and destruction inflicted on Florida families by opioid abuse.” Continue reading →

Attorney General Moody Issues Tips to Promote Safe and Responsible Internet Use on Safer Internet Day promoting safe and responsible internet use in recognition of 2021 Safer Internet Day. With COVID-19 forcing more Floridians to learn, socialize and work remotely, secure internet usage is more important than ever. The good news is there are simple steps users can follow to improve online security and protect sensitive information.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Most of us access the internet every day to learn, work or socialize. This increased online activity provides more opportunities for scammers, hackers and thieves looking to steal your personal and financial information. Safer Internet Day is a good reminder to take a fresh look at how to protect your finances, identity and safety online.”

Attorney General Moody is releasing the following tips to help Floridians stay safe online: Continue reading →

West Palm Beach, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis proposed new measures to safeguard the sanctity of Florida elections. The Governor’s announcement reaffirms his commitment to the integrity of every vote and the importance of transparency in Florida elections.

“Last November, Florida held the smoothest, most successful election of any state in the country,” said Governor DeSantis. “While we should celebrate this feat, we should not rest on our laurels. Today, we are taking action to ensure that Florida remains a leader on key issues regarding our electoral process, such as ballot integrity, public access to election information, transparency of election reporting and more. By strengthening these election integrity protections, we will ensure that our elections remain secure and transparent, and that Florida’s electoral process remains a blueprint for other states to follow.”

The proposed legislation takes an important step in designing some of the nation’s strongest election integrity protections and providing unprecedented election transparency for Florida residents. The proposed legislation would include the following measures: Continue reading →

Dear Friends,

The 2021 Legislative Session will be underway as of March 2 and already the picture is becoming a little clearer about what the priorities of the Florida Legislature will be. The eight weeks of committee hearings leading up to this have had numerous state agency and local government presentations, along with citizen input, about the challenges our state faces and the needs we will be asked to meet. I will share a few of those highlights with you today.

The state budget is always the top concern, as the only constitutionally mandated duty of the Florida Senate is to pass a balanced budget. We do not have to do anything else or pass a single bill, except that one. Which we have done, faithfully, each year. This year, with the COVID crises, the forecasting is predicting a budget shortfall, which means that cuts will be made and many good projects will go unfunded. This will be an exercise in frugality and efficiency and will not be all together bad for our state. A budget event like this can be a good reset for Florida as it brings in to focus those things, which are actually a priority. We are in a good place with Senator Kelli Stargel leading our efforts in this area and she has my full confidence. Continue reading →

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the publication of the 2021 Florida Military Friendly Guide. The Guide updates the programs, policies and benefits Florida provides for our servicemembers, their families and military veterans.

“The Florida Military Friendly Guide reflects Florida’s consistent commitment to our military installations, servicemembers, their families and veterans,” said Governor DeSantis. “As the most military-friendly state in the nation, Florida has the back of the thousands of military and civilian families who live and work in our defense communities. We hope this guide connects our service members with the resources and support they need.”

Produced by Enterprise Florida and Florida Defense Support Task Force, the Florida Military Friendly Guide is distributed in print to Florida’s 23 major military installations, representing each of the six services, more than 65,000 active duty Servicemembers and families, over 35,000 DOD civilian employees and families, and 1.45 million veterans. An online version is also available.

“Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, Enterprise Florida, the Florida Defense Alliance and the Florida Defense Support Task Force remain committed to working with Florida’s state agencies to support our military men and women and their families and keep pace with their needs,” said Secretary of Commerce Jamal Sowell, president & CEO of Enterprise Florida. “This edition of the guide boasts more resources than ever and reflects the hard work of the Governor and Florida Legislature.” Continue reading →