FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2024) — The Fort Lauderdale Police Department (FLPD) has made an official announcement regarding the recovery of nearly $1.2 million.

This comes after an extensive and intricate investigation into a construction fraud scheme that had affected various locations across the country. The incident primarily targeted the City of Fort Lauderdale due to ongoing construction work on their new police headquarters. As we reported, Fort Lauderdale Police told Boca Post that they lost $1.2M to a phishing scam on Thursday, September 14, 2023.

Upon receiving an email that seemingly originated from Moss Construction, the contractor responsible for the police department headquarters project, one of the City of Fort Lauderdale’s Finance Department employees paid an invoice totaling approximately $1.2 million. Shortly thereafter, FLPD’s Economic Crimes detectives were promptly notified and immediately initiated efforts to trace the funds.

Although investigations are still ongoing at this time, FLPD’s detectives have successfully recovered all of the lost funds thus far. Furthermore, they continue their diligent work in attempting to identify and bring charges against those responsible for this incident. It should be noted that schemes like these can be highly intricate and complex, making it challenging to gather sufficient evidence for identifying and prosecuting those involved.

Importantly, it is crucial to recognize that the City of Fort Lauderdale was not alone in falling victim to this nationwide construction fraud scheme. Therefore, there are valuable lessons to be learned from this incident as we move forward.
There were several aspects of this particular scheme that involved engaging in fraudulent activities such as sending deceptive emails or invoices, preying on vulnerable individuals through false online romantic relationships and engaging in money laundering. The investigation into this matter was carried out by FLPD with assistance from various agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office in California, the Avondale Police Department in Arizona and the Lee’s Summit Police Department in Missouri.

After being able to recover the $1.2M they were scammed out of, Fort Lauderdale Police have some tips for the public:

Business Email Compromise (BEC)

Common Targets

• Real Estate/Title Companies
• Attorneys
• Insurance Providers
• Yacht Brokers
• Any other businesses that make significant lump sum payments.

How to avoid becoming a victim

• Never make changes to banking information through email. Instead, call a trusted point of contact.
• Email directly to the known email address rather than replying to an existing thread.
• Carefully review the email domain name (e.g., [email protected]).

Romance Scams

Often targeting older individuals or those experiencing relationship difficulties and emotional vulnerability. However, anyone can potentially become a victim of this type of scam.

There are several common methods used to target individuals;

• Job listings that offer work from home opportunities.
• Dating sites or social media platforms.
• Individuals seeking companionship or financial assistance.
• The U.S. Secret Service provides helpful information on how to stay safe online and avoid romance scams.
• If you have been affected by business email compromises or romance scams, it is important to report the incident to your local police first, followed by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

The Fort Lauderdale Police Department (FLPD) urges everyone to remain vigilant and be aware of potential scams. Criminals often employ internet and phone tactics to deceive and exploit unsuspecting individuals. It is crucial to exercise extreme caution when asked to make a payment over the phone in any form, instructed to deposit money into a cryptocurrency ATM or create an online crypto account. If you suspect that you have fallen victim to a phone scam or fraud within the City of Fort Lauderdale, please contact FLPD at our non emergency helpline; 954 764 HELP (4357).