Latest news with #JohnGuard
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Judge rules against Florida brokerage accused of scamming homeowners
A South Florida real estate brokerage accused of trapping vulnerable homeowners into predatory contracts will no longer be able to enforce those agreements in Florida thanks to a ruling by a Hillsborough County judge on Wednesday. The state sued MV Realty in 2022 for using deceptive business practices that impacted over 9,000 Florida homeowners. Earlier that year, the Tampa Bay Times reported on how the company used quick cash payments to lure homeowners into signing away the rights to list their homes. Many did not realize that those contracts, called 'homeowner benefit agreements,' lasted 40 years and allowed MV Realty to place a lien on their homes if they listed with a different brokerage. The only way to get out of it was by paying a fee equivalent to 3% of the property's value. Circuit Judge Darren D. Farfante called the contracts 'unconscionable.' The injunction he issued also prevents MV Realty from collecting fees or filing liens related to the contracts. The company now has 14 days to terminate any existing homeowner benefit agreements and notify Floridians who signed them. In a court hearing Monday, the company's lawyer told the judge that it had sent letters to 7,000 Floridians, offering them an opportunity to rescind their contracts. 'When companies, like MV Realty, unfairly and deceptively target Floridians, the Office of Attorney General will fight for them,' acting Attorney General John Guard said in a statement. 'In my almost six and a half years with the office, this was one of the worst abuses that crossed my desk,' he added, before thanking former Attorney General Ashley Moody for filing the case. The state is still seeking monetary relief, restitution and civil penalties against MV Realty. The court has yet to rule on those issues.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Yahoo
Hundreds of fake SunPass websites shutdown
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA)— Hundreds of fraudulent SunPass websites were shut down by the Florida Attorney General's Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Cyber Fraud Analytical Support team on Monday. According to the Office of the Attorney General, the fake sites targeted SunPass users with fake toll notices and phishing schemes in an attempt to steal personal information and financial information. 'Battling the state': Seminole mother fighting to keep her son's life-saving diet 'These fraudulent SunPass websites preyed on unsuspecting Floridians and tourists, trying to steal personal information through fake billing notices. We are taking swift action to shut down these sites and protect customers. Floridians need to be cautious when receiving texts or emails claiming they owe money for tolls as it could be a scam,' Acting Attorney General John Guard said. Floridians who have received a fake toll text or email should: Verify the source by contacting SunPass or E-ZPass directly using the customer service number listed on the official website. Check accounts for unpaid tolls using the official SunpPass or E-ZPass portals. Know that messages that threaten penalties if immediate payment is not made are probably scams. Scammers create websites that closely resemble the official toll payment portals. They will then send phishing emails and text messages with links to these websites, The Office of the Attorney General said. The messages people receive typically include claims of unpaid tolls and fines to create urgency for users to go onto the fake website. Once they are on the website, scammers will ask for personal and financial information that could be used to commit identity theft or fraud. For more information on other types of scams, visit their website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Yahoo
Florida Attorney General's Office announced the shutdown of fraudulent SunPass websites
The Florida Attorney General's Office of Statewide Prosecution announced the shutdown of hundreds of SunPass websites targeting users with fake notices and phishing schemes to obtain sensitive user information. Attorney General John Guard said, 'These fraudulent SunPass websites preyed on unsuspecting Floridians and tourists, trying to steal personal information through fake billing notices.' SunPass users were targeted with fake toll notices and phishing schemes, attempting to steal personal and financial information. Read: TODAY: SpaceX crews to launch Falcon 9 rocket from Florida's Space Coast Guard continues, 'We are taking swift action to shut down these sites and protect consumers. Floridians need to be cautious when receiving texts or emails claiming they owe money for tolls as it could be a scam.' Read: SEE: Epic Universe offers first look at menu items The Florida Attorney General's Office of Statewide Prosecution, in collaboration with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Cyber Fraud Analytical Support Team, will launch a new consumer protection resource named Scams at a Glance: SunPass Safety. Read: 16 counts of animal cruelty and neglect issued to Polk County woman Users are advised to: • Verify the source by contacting SunPass or E-ZPass directly using the customer service numbers listed on the official websites; • Check accounts for unpaid tolls using the official SunPass or E-ZPass portals, not by using the links in an unsolicited email or text message • Know that messages threatening penalties if immediate payment is not made is probably a scam. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
