Scam Artists, COVID-19 Scams, Florida 2020

Tampa, Florida – In a warning to scam artists, Florida’s three United States Attorneys joined forces with Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to crack down on COVID-19 scams.

The federal law enforcement team is now actively collaborating and cooperating with the state’s top prosecutor team in a concerted effort to stop the scams relating to coronavirus.

“Unfortunately, there are those who seek to exploit others in times of crisis, without regard to who they harm or the damage they cause,” said United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, Maria Chapa Lopez. “Those criminals should know that we will combine our resources, at every level, to investigate and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”

Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, added, “The real threat of this pandemic is bad enough on its own – but we are going to have zero tolerance for the added risk created by lowlife scammers who would prey on Floridians at a time when their focus needs to be on protecting their own health and well-being.”

Ariana Fajardo Orshan, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, said the risk of scams is particularly high in her district, which is home to a large portion of Florida elders and has seen many of the state’s confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Florida Attorney General Moody urged the public to beware of potential coronavirus scams when researching information about COVID-19, saying, “Floridians are eager for any meaningful guidance they can find about coronavirus, but they must be careful not to believe everything they hear.”

The prosecutors’ warning comes on the heels of U.S. Attorney General William Barr’s directive on Monday for all United States Attorneys around the country to place a high priority on stopping scam artists trying to take advantage of the coronavirus situation.

The officials advised the public to remain vigilant during this time, warning against clicking on computer links from unknown sources, being aware of donations through charities or crowdfunding sites, and not allowing themselves to be rushed into making decisions.

The common scams being reported around the nation include individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online, phishing emails sent from entities posing as the World Health Organization (“WHO”) or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”), and malware being inserted onto mobile phones by apps pretending to track the spread of the virus.

Related Federal Cases