Category Archives: Consumer Fraud
Crocs Case Could Have Big Implications for Future of False Advertising Claims
As reported by Bloomberg Law News, the false advertising case against Crocs—the Colorado based footwear company—is proceeding in federal court. It is a high-profile legal matter that could potentially have significant ramifications for the future of false advertising law. A federal court must determine the line between false advertising and mere puffery. Here, our… Read More »
Consumer Fraud Is On The Rise
Federal Trade Commission data released earlier this year shows that consumers reported losing nearly $8.8 billion to fraud in 2022, an increase of more than 30 percent over 2021. The reports came from 2.4 million consumers, with the most reported type being imposter scams, followed by online shopping scams. Prizes, sweepstakes, and lotteries; investment… Read More »
Four Florida Men Indicted; Charged With Running Billion-Dollar Healthcare Fraud Scheme
According to reporting from the Associated Press, four Florida men, six Florida companies, and one Houston, Texas-based firm have been named in an indictment alleging that they collectively carried out a nearly $1 billion healthcare fraud scheme. In a press release, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) states that tens of thousands of… Read More »
Vomit Fraud? South Florida Uber Drivers Accused of Unusual Scam
When customers use the Uber ridesharing app, they will be required to agree to the company’s ‘terms of service’. If an Uber rider causes damage to the inside of a vehicle during their trip, a cleaning fee can be billed to their credit card. When a passenger vomits in an Uber in South Florida,… Read More »
Sunrise, Florida Woman To Be Sentenced For Role in Eight Figure Business Fraud Scheme
On June 13th, 2018, the Miami Herald reported that Destiny Asjee Rowland, a 21-year-old woman from South Florida, is set to be sentenced for her role in a $16 million business fraud scam. According to state prosecutors, Ms. Rowland helped to establish an international ring that included as least 74 different people who were… Read More »
McDonald’s Value Meal Might Not Save You Money — But Judge Says It is Not False Advertising
Recently, a United States federal court judge in Illinois ruled in favor of McDonald’s in a deceptive advertising lawsuit. According to the allegations raised in the class-action lawsuit, buying a McDonald’s ‘Extra Value Meal’ was actually somewhat more expensive than purchasing each item included in the meal individually. However, the federal judge ruled that… Read More »
The Top Seven Consumer Complaints in 2017
Unfortunately, consumer fraud remains a major problem in the state of Florida. On December 28th, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) released its annual report on consumer fraud and consumer complaints. In 2017, the agency received more than 40,000 separate complaints from Florida consumers. Undoubtedly, this figure only represents a small… Read More »
Four South Florida Men Convicted in $25 Million Fraud Scheme
According to reporting from the Sun-Sentinel, four men from South Florida have been sentenced to prison for their role in a $25 million sweepstakes mailer fraud scheme. The men received sentences of varying length, with the longest sentence going to the man who was accused of being the lead preparator: Matthew Pisoni of Fort… Read More »
What You Need to Know About the ‘Restore Online Shoppers Confidence Act’ (ROSCA)
Every year, a larger percentage of American commerce is done over the internet. This has led to the rise of a wide variety of different types of business models, including the re-emergence of subscription services. Indeed, it seems like web-based subscription services are everywhere nowadays. Though, sometimes these services are marketed to customers in… Read More »
Consumer Fraud Alert: Scammers are Targeting Hurricane Victims
Through late September, the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season has been rough. Several major storms have already made landfall in the United States and the Caribbean, including Hurricane Irma, which hit the state of Florida. Sadly, in the confusion of the storm’s aftermath, some unscrupulous actors are attempting to take advantage of hurricane victims. The… Read More »
Florida Appeals Court Rules in Favor of Consumer in Motor Vehicle Fraud Case
On September 6th, 2017, Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal issued a ruling in the case of Landry v. Charlotte Motor Cars, LLC. This case centered around a dispute involving alleged fraud by a car dealership. Originally, a lower court had dismissed the fraud claim on the grounds that consumer had “spoiled” the evidence…. Read More »
National Report: Rampant Fraud in Florida’s Drug Treatment Industry
Recently, NBC News published a shocking report on rampant fraud within Florida’s multi-billion dollar drug rehabilitation and treatment industry. The report centered around Palm Beach County, which has become one of the “rehab capitals” in America’s fight against drug abuse. Here, our experienced West Palm Beach fraud attorneys discuss this alarming new report as… Read More »
Palm Beach County Court Dismisses Unfair Trade Practices Claim Against Pokemon Go App Maker
Pokemon Go is a popular mobile gaming application that uses advanced, augmented reality technology as part of its gameplay. When it was first released in the summer of 2016, it broke Apple’s mobile download records. Though, not everyone was happy with the product. Indeed, a Palm Beach, Florida man sued the game’s app maker,… Read More »
Florida Federal Judge: False Advertising Lawsuit Against Movie ‘War Dogs’ Can Proceed
War Dogs, a 2016 movie produced by Warner Brothers, reportedly grossed $86 million at the box office. This dark comedy film stars actors Jonah Hill and Miles Teller as two Miami-based arms dealers who secure a major contract from the Pentagon. The film is based on real events. However, one of the men who… Read More »
Consumer Fraud Watch: Medical Marijuana Scam
On April 19th, 2017, the Florida Department of Health issued an official warning to all consumers in the state regarding an alarming increase in reports of ‘medical marijuana’ scams. Under Florida law, medical marijuana can only be legally used by state residents who have obtained a valid identification card from the state’s Office of… Read More »
Grand Jury Finds that the State of Florida Has Failed to Protect Condo Owners from Fraud
On February 6th, 2017, the Miami Herald published a report from a Miami-Dade County Grand Jury that concluded that the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) has repeatedly failed to protect condo owners from fraud and mismanagement. Within the report, the grand jury noted that the state agency appears to be ill-equipped… Read More »
Three Debt Relief Companies Have Been Fined and Shut Down for Defrauding Customers
On January 24th, 2017, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Florida Office of the Attorney General announced against sanctions against three debt relief companies. The companies, Consumers Assistance, LLC, Consumer Assistance Project, Corp, and Palermo Global, LLC, were fined a total in excess of $2.3 million. All three companies have also been permanently… Read More »
New Study: Florida Residents are the Third Most Vulnerable to Identity Theft and Fraud
Recently, WalletHub released its annual report on identity theft and fraud across the country. The report rates consumer vulnerability to identity theft and other types of consumer fraud in each of the 50 states and in the District of Columbia. Once again, Florida did not perform well in the rankings. This year, Florida came… Read More »
Consumer Alert: Beware of Vacation Scams
The Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) recently issued a warning instructing consumers to be on the lookout for vacation scams. The alert noted that this year has seen an increase in tourism within the state, and that further increases are expected in the summer months. Unfortunately, this has also led to a corresponding… Read More »
Florida Leads The Nation In Consumer Fraud Complaints
The Palm Beach Post reports that Florida, once again, has the dubious distinction of leading the nation in fraud complaints. In 2015, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received over 300,000 consumer fraud complaints from Florida residents. The data is clear: business and consumer fraud remain serious problems in the state. If you have been… Read More »
