CFO Patronis Deploys Three Anti-Fraud Strike Teams to Broward County Following Flooding

BROWARD COUNTY, Fla.— Today, Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis activated his Disaster Fraud Action Strike Team (DFAST) which has been deployed to Broward County to protect Floridians from storm-related fraud following recent devastating flooding in the area. The DFAST deployment consists of three teams from Ft. Lauderdale and Palm Beach Offices with a total of 15 insurance fraud investigators positioned in the storm impacted areas in Broward County. CFO Patronis’ anti-fraud teams work to educate and inform the public on signs of post-storm fraud and ensure contractors are following Florida workers’ compensation law while conducting repairs.

CFO Jimmy Patronis said, “Following a natural disaster, scam artists will come out of the woodwork to defraud individuals in their time of need. That’s why I have deployed my Disaster Fraud Action Strike Team to the Broward County area to be on the lookout for bad actors trying to make a buck off the damage caused by recent flooding. These anti-fraud strike teams consist of trained insurance fraud investigators with specialized knowledge of homeowners and auto insurance fraud and they will be on the ground in the impacted areas to ensure residents know the signs of fraud and lawbreakers are held responsible. If you or a loved one believes they have fallen victim to post-storm fraud, report it to my office immediately at MyFloridaCFO.com.”

CFO Patronis also urges residents across Broward County to contact his Division of Consumer Services for insurance assistance and help with the insurance claims process by visiting MyFloridaCFO.com.

Common Indicators of Post-Storm Fraud include:

1. A contractor or restoration professional who offered to waive or discount your insurance deductible.
2. A contractor or restoration professional that has received payment and has failed to provide any repairs to your home.
3. 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.
4. 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 MyFloridaCFO.com.

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About CFO Jimmy Patronis
Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis is a statewide elected official and a member of Florida’s Cabinet who oversees the Department of Financial Services. CFO Patronis works each day to fight insurance fraud, support Florida’s firefighters, and ensure the state’s finances are stable to support economic growth in the state. Follow the activities of the Department on Facebook (FLDFS) and Twitter (@FLDFS).