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Got An Email From The Florida Office Of Financial Regulation? Beware, It Could Be A Scam

Florida Office of Financial Regulation

Florida’s Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) is warning residents about an email scam using the state agency’s name, branding and information.

Con artists claiming to be from OFR are telling consumers the office is taking legal action against them because of past due payday loan accounts.

The fraudulent email says those who do not respond immediately will be taken to court.

A phone number with a 904 Florida area code is provided.

Several red flags should lead Floridians to know the email is a scam. These messages include numerous grammatical errors and multiple misspellings, as well as vague details and the use of a Gmail account, rather than an official state government email address.

OFR’s Jamie Mongiovi says people always need to be wary of con artists, as similar scams have been attempted before.

 

“It is so important for consumers to always be vigilant. When you are checking your email, if you don’t recognize an address, investigate that. Do your own research. Verify the license of a company or professional before you do business with them,” said Mongiovi. 

Mongiovi says people can use the OFR website to verify the license of any collection agency, or lending firm.

Consumers can also use the site to file a complaint if they feel they have been scammed.

The most recent scam was discovered by the Office of Financial Regulation through a consumer tip.

 

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