TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — In honor of International Fraud Awareness Week, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis encourages Floridians to track and report the latest fraud and scam tactics in their communities by using the Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker. A partner of CFO Patronis' "Fraud Free Florida" initiative, the BBB’s online Scam Tracker tool includes an interactive map to help keep Floridians informed of local fraud trends and emerging scams.   CFO Jimmy Patronis said, "Nearly 2.4 million reports involving fraud, identity theft and other scams have been sent to the Federal Trade Commission this year, with total losses of approximately $1.2 billion. Floridians must stay alert and on top of these scams, but we must also do everything possible to make it harder for criminals to steal your money and information. The Better Business Bureau's Scam Tracker Tool helps us combat the fraud epidemic in our state by empowering you with the information needed to avoid falling victim to one of these scams."   CFO Patronis launched his Fraud Free Florida initiative this year aimed at better coordinating collective investigative efforts to protect Florida’s large population, especially seniors, from scam artists. Try the Scam Tracker tool today and view recent fraud reports in your area. Visit FraudFreeFlorida.com to report fraud and to learn about the latest scams.   About the Better Business Bureau For more than 100 years, the Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands, and charities they can trust. In 2018, people turned to BBB more than 173 million times for BBB Business Profiles on nearly 5.4 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at BBB.org. The Council of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the local, independent BBBs in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as well as home to its national and international programs on dispute resolution, advertising review, and industry self-regulation.

About CFO Jimmy Patronis  Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis is a statewide elected official and a member of Florida’s Cabinet who oversees the Department of Financial Services. CFO Patronis works each day to fight insurance fraud, support Florida’s firefighters, and ensure the state’s finances are stable to support economic growth in the state. Follow the activities of the Department on Facebook (FLDFS) and Twitter (@FLDFS).