Commissioner Fried and Representative Driskell Release Special Holiday Consumer Podcast

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) released a special FDACS Holiday Consumer Podcast to provide tips about avoiding scams during the holiday season. The podcast, featuring special guest State Representative Fentrice Driskell (HD-63), is available on Spotify and features useful information to help consumers avoid gas pump skimmers, protective, themselves while shopping online, avoid sham charities, and more.

“Throughout the holiday season, FDACS is continuing to protect Floridians from scams, fraud, and consumer abuse. To raise even more awareness, we’re excited to share a special FDACS Holiday Consumer Podcast with tips and raise awareness about scams,” shared Commissioner Nikki Fried. “Thank you to Representative Driskell for joining me on this special podcast and to our FDACS Division of Consumer Services team, who works every day, around the clock, to protect consumers across the Sunshine State.”

In addition to FDACS’ recent gas pump skimmer sweeps ahead of holiday travel and price verification sweeps ahead of holiday shopping, the FDACS Holiday Consumer Podcast furthers the Department’s mission to protect consumers by raising awareness on scams and fraud and providing important tips for Floridians to avoid falling victim.

During the podcast, Commissioner Fried and Representative Driskell answer listener questions, discuss a variety of consumer issues, and provide tips. Some of these tips include:

ONLINE SHOPPING

Due to the pandemic, many more people are shopping online this holiday. If you have any last-minute online shopping to do, make sure you’re doing it safely:

• Think before you click: If a deal sounds too good to be true, it may be fraudulent. Make sure to read the terms and conditions of any promotions the deal may be part of
• Research online sellers: Check for complaints using FDACS’s business complaint lookup tool at FloridaConsumerHelp.com or the Better Business Bureau’s website.
• Make purchases with a credit card: Unlike debit cards, credit cards have fraud protection services and a zero-liability policy.

GAS PUMP SKIMMERS

As Floridians prepare for holiday travel, criminals will continue scheming to scam you at the gas pump – it’s crucial to know what to look for because each skimmer can cause up to a million dollars in fraud:

• Look closely at the pump: Avoid pumps that are open or unlocked, have had the tamper-evident security tape cut or removed, or otherwise look unusual. If anything seems cracked, loose, or tampered with, use a different pump
• Pay with a credit card: If a credit card number is skimmed, you’re protected by the card issuer’s zero-liability policy — but a stolen debit card number could be more damaging. If you must use a debit card, choose to use it as credit, instead of selecting debit and entering your PIN
• Choose gas pumps closest to the physical building: Don’t use gas pumps out of the attendant’s line of sight, such as those around a corner or behind a building. Thieves placing skimmers are less likely to put them in pumps where the store attendant may catch them in the act
• Check your card statements: Most credit card issuer offers fraud alerts, and many will email or text you when your card is used at a gas station. Check your credit card and debit card transactions regularly to make sure no fraudulent activity has occurred. If you suspect their credit card number has been compromised, report it immediately to authorities and their credit card company
• Pay inside, not at the pump: It takes just seconds for criminals to place a skimmer in a gas pump — but it’s far less likely that a skimmer has been placed on the payment terminal in front of the clerk inside the gas station or convenience store. If you’re able to, pay inside and not at the pump

CHARITABLE GIVING

During the holiday season of giving, many Floridians are looking to help others and give to charities as a way to express their generosity. As Florida’s regulator of charities, FDACS works to protect consumers from sham charities and verify that hard-earned money is going to registered organizations:

• Check if the organization is properly registered with the state through our Check-a-Charity tool or by calling 1-800-HELP-FLA (1-800-FL-AYUDA en Español) to find out if a charity is properly registered, how much the charity is spending on administration and fundraising, and how much money goes to actual programming
• Search the organization’s name online along with key words like “complaint” and “scam.” Also look for reviews and feedback about the organization. Don’t assume solicitations on social media or crowdfunding campaigns are legitimate — even posts that are shared or liked by your friends. Do your own research
• Ask how exactly your donation will be used, what specific cause it will go towards, and how much of the contribution will be used for program services
• Request written information about the organization and a breakdown of how the money is being utilized. Consumers should not assume their donation will be spent a particular way
• Verify whether your donation is tax-deductible since only certain organizations are eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions. Ask for the organization’s tax-exempt number issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), or use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool. Donations to individuals are not tax-deductible. Remember that crowdfunding campaigns are not tax deductible
• Pay with a credit card or check to be safe. Do not donate in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money — these forms of payment lack any security measures, making them appealing to scammers

File a complaint: If a consumer believes they have been the victim of a scam, they should contact FDACS immediately — all consumer complaints will be investigated. To file a consumer complaint, visit FloridaConsumerHelp.com or call 1-800-HELP-FLA or 1-800-FL-AYUDA for Spanish speakers

Click here to listen to the 23-minute Holiday Consumer Podcast on Spotify

About the FDACS Division of Consumer Services: FDACS is Florida’s state consumer protection agency, responsible for regulating charities and handling consumer complaints. FDACS’ Division of Consumer Services handles more than 400,000 consumer complaints and inquiries, oversees more than 500,000 regulated devices, entities, and products like gas pumps and grocery scales, performs over 61,000 lab analyses on products like gasoline and brake fluid, performs nearly 9,000 fair ride inspections, and returned over $2.8 million to consumers through mediations with businesses.

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