Category Archives: Business Consumer Fraud
How South Florida Businesses Can Recover Losses From Investment Fraud
Guaranteed returns. A real estate fund that only accepts a select few investors. A private deal a friend of a friend swears is a sure thing. South Florida has plenty of legitimate investment opportunities, but it also draws its share of fraudulent ones. If you have already wired the money, the question you are… Read More »
The Vendor Seemed Legitimate. Then the Invoices Got Weird: Red Flags of Vendor Fraud in Palm Beach
Every business relies on vendors it can’t fully audit every single month. You trust the supplier, the contractor, the IT provider, the logistics company, because trust is what makes commerce move faster than a background check. Most of the time that trust is well placed. But when it isn’t, the financial damage can pile… Read More »
Business And Consumer Protection: Why The FDUTPA Is So Important
Whether you are an individual consumer or you own and operate a business, you are entitled to fair treatment from other companies in the market. Our state has strong business and consumer protection laws in place. Most notably, the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA) allows businesses and consumers to hold companies… Read More »
Business Fraud: Florida Moving Company Operators Indicted For Alleged $12 Million Scam
On February 18th, 2022, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that Matthew Pardi and Ashley Lynn Hars, the owners of a Florida-based moving company, have been indicted on criminal fraud charges. The federal complaint contends that their company engaged in a number of different violations, including allegedly holding consumer belongings for “ransom”… Read More »
Businesses Have Broad Legal Standing to File a Lawsuit on the FDUTPA
The Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA) is perhaps the most important consumer protection law in our state. Through an FDUTPA claim, a plaintiff can hold a defendant liable for losses related to unfair or deceptive acts or practices. Until recently, there were some questions about when exactly business had a right… Read More »
FDUTPA Claims in Florida: Are ‘As-Is” Provisions in Contracts Always Enforceable?
Many purchase contracts—from real estate agreements to motor vehicle contracts—contain a so-called ‘as-is’ or ‘no-warranty’ clause. As it is popularly understood, an ‘as-is’ contract provision states that the seller makes no express or implied guarantees as to the condition of the property being sold. In other words, the buyer is assuming the risks. While… Read More »
What Remedies are Available Under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA)?
The Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA) is a state law that protects businesses and consumers against fraudulent, deceptive, or other unlawful commercial practices. Unlike its federal counterpart, the statute contains a clear private right of action—meaning a business or a consumer can file a lawsuit against the responsible party for an… Read More »
Report: Florida is the Most Vulnerable State to Identity Theft and Fraud
According to a recent report from WalletHub, Florida has the dubious distinction of being named the most vulnerable state to identity theft and consumer fraud in 2020. This is not the first time that the personal finance organization has recognized Florida as being the most vulnerable state to fraud. Unfortunately, consumer and business fraud… Read More »
Study: Florida has the Most Coronavirus-Related Fraud Claims
According to reporting from ABC 27, Florida tops the country in coronavirus-related fraud. A recent study found that Florida has the dubious distinction of having the most COVID-19 fraud claims in the United States—eclipsing New York, Texas, California, and Pennsylvania. Alarmingly, the study found that fraud reports are up when compared to 2019. COVID-19… Read More »
9 Tips to Protect Your Remote Workforce from Phishing Attacks
As the COVID-19 pandemic forced many companies to switch to remote working, businesses are facing security and data privacy risks now that their employees are working from home. While hackers have used a variety of illegal tools to take advantage of companies’ vulnerabilities, phishing is among the most common fraudulent activities during the coronavirus… Read More »