Don’t Fear Fraud – Fight It!

by Dorian Burr
Government Analyst I, Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services

With the 2017 Equifax data breach affecting 143 million Americans, the realities of cyber-crime and fraud can no longer be ignored. What some may consider “yesterday’s news” is becoming a common occurrence, and no one is immune. I have a personal stake in the fight against fraud, and I choose to fight it, rather than fear it.

While fraud is an international problem that can sometimes seem too big to fight on our own, we can begin on a personal level by being informed. We can be proactive by regularly checking in with local, state, and federal government agencies that post up-to-date, reliable information about frauds and scams.

The Florida Department of Financial Services’ Division of Consumer Services has a Consumer Alerts page that is updated regularly. Other online resources include the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Information, USA.gov, and the Florida Office of the Attorney General. Becoming more knowledgeable about fraud can keep you from falling victim to it and help you keep others safe.

Vigilance is an important aspect to remaining safe from fraudsters. The Division of Consumer Services has posted the following steps you can take:


Fraud can happen to anyone, even after precautions are taken. It is our job to make it as difficult as possible for the bad guys to scheme us out of our hard-earned money and personal information.