Latest news with #OperationTripleThreat
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida cracking down on ‘despicable' senior scams in prisons
(NewsNation) — In Florida, authorities have warned that criminals are finding new ways to scam seniors from behind bars by using cell phones and the internet to con people out of their hard-earned money. State officials recently launched 'Operation Triple Threat,' which they said uncovered multiple instances of prison inmates scamming seniors. One of the cases found that a 92-year-old man was scammed out of $800,000 over two years. 'We've identified people who are incarcerated in the state have had cellphones smuggled in and used internet services to reach out to seniors,' said James Uthmeier, Florida Attorney General. 'We see tens of billions of dollars stolen through scam activity across the country, and Florida is currently ranked #2 as the state scammers want to target the most.' More than 1,800 arrested in crackdown on Asia-based scam operations Officials said they searched through three prisons and confiscated nearly 40 cellphones, eight SIM cards, ten batteries, 94 chargers, and four Wi-Fi hotspots. They added that some of the inmates allegedly used cryptocurrency as part of their crimes while convincing seniors to make fake purchases. 'They love to send older adults, in particular, to these cryptocurrency ATMs,' said Karen Murillo, Advocacy Manager at AARP Florida. 'They may even tell them it's a security locker or name it something other than a cryptocurrency. Once that person hits send, it's gone. Online vigilantes turn tables on scammers who victimize the elderly Florida isn't the only state fighting to stop seniors from being scammed. Some states have introduced 'temporary hold' laws, which let banks and other institutions hold transactions that they think are fraudulent. California and Michigan also have laws to protect seniors. Meanwhile, legislators in Maine voted for a bill to prevent the exploitation of seniors. Investigators acknowledged they don't know how many suspects face charges. The FBI says seniors lost $4.8 billion in 2024 from internet scams. Crypto scams for people over 60 accounted for $1 million in losses. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Florida law enforcement officials express concern about scams on seniors, but offer few details
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister in Tampa on June 2, 2025. (Photo by Mitch Perry/ Florida Phoenix) A host of top law enforcement officers briefed reporters in Tampa on Monday about their concerns about senior citizens in Florida being scammed by prisoners — alhough they offered few details. They did say that the culprits exploiting older Florida residents are state prisoners whose weapons in these cases are contraband phones, cryptocurrency, and drone devices. According to Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, a 92-year-old man has been robbed of more $800,000 over a two-year period and one of the perpetrators is an incarcerated individual. He added that more information would come later. 'We will have formal charges, but it got to the point where we started connecting the dots and realized we need to put the public on notice that a lot of these calls and outreach to seniors, it could very much be a scam,' said Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Ricky Dixon announced that in conjunction with the attorney general's office and other agencies, 'Operation Triple Threat' took place last week in three correction facilities containing approximately 3,000 inmates to search for illegal cellphones. All told, he said, officers captured 400 phones. He did not name the prisons. Nor did the Department of Corrections respond immediately to an inquiry. When asked asked how many cases involve prison inmates taking financial advantage of seniors, Uthmeier said 'at least three known cases,' although he added that no formal charges have been brought to date. 'We're still expanding to see how far it goes, but at least a few different perpetrators and likely several more than that as far as victims,' he said. Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey and Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass also appeared at the media availability. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Florida prisoners used smuggled cellphones to scam seniors, officials say: ‘Despicable'
The Brief Investigators seized dozens of cellphones from three prisons during Operation Triple Threat, according to law enforcement officials. Formal charges have not been brought yet, according to officials, but there are multiple known cases of seniors losing large amounts of money in scams. At a news conference in Tampa, officials urged seniors and their caretakers to always be on alert for any contact from strangers. TAMPA, Fla. - State and local law enforcement officials say detectives seized dozens of cellphones from Florida prisons, including devices used by inmates to scam seniors statewide. The backstory At a news conference in Tampa on Monday, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said Operation Triple Threat focused on three state prisons with a combined population of about 3,000 inmates. Officials said investigators confiscated about 40 phones, adding that some inmates were using technology – including cryptocurrency – while convincing seniors to either purchase services, pay a fine for missing jury duty or to cover toll violations, or enter into relationships. Uthmeier said the exact number of suspects facing charges is not known yet as formal charges have not been brought against them, but there are at least three known cases of seniors losing money. READ: 13-year-old girl rescued from Tampa motel: 'This child was lured' What they're saying "These guys are getting more sophisticated," Uthmeier said as he urged everyone to remain cautious when receiving phone calls or text messages from unknown numbers. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister highlighted one case in which a 92-year-old man lost more than $800,000 over a two-year period. "Despicable, repulsive, abhorrent are just a few words I can use to describe those individuals who target and prey on our seniors," Chronister said. Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey also spoke during Monday's news conference, saying that while technology has created new challenges for law enforcement, detectives are working hard to stay ahead of the curve. "If you're going to do this type of activity, I highly recommend you do it somewhere other than the state of Florida," Ivey said. What's next Officials said Monday that they hope to release more specific details soon, including the number of suspects and victims, along with formal criminal charges. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube The Source This story was written with information from a news conference in Tampa, Florida, on June 2, 2025. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
