ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
By Melanie Pagan The worst is over, you think, as you wave goodbye to the hero-without-a-cape contractor who arrived at your door like magic offering to repair your disheveled home post-hurricane. Months later, when he’s taken off with the cash you paid in advance and not lifted a finger, you realize just how wrong you were. It’s just one of the many types of fraud cases reported in Southwest Florida after storms. “The main issue we experience regarding hurricane scams is unlicensed contracting fraud,” says Lt. Chad Parker of the Criminal Investigations Division, Financial Crimes Bureau at the Collier County Sheriff’s office. “Fraudulent contractors come to town, request upfront funds to perform the work and leave with the victims’ funds. Or, they are unlicensed to perform the work for which they are hired.” Sheriff’s offices also receive reports of businesses over-charging for their products or services, or people fraudulently posing as relief representatives, said Claudette Smith, public information officer at the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. These criminals tend to roll through town when communities are in dire need of help. “Unfortunately, predators come to the areas that have been hit by devastation because people are in distress,” Smith says. “There are people who are desperate and in need of assistance, and those are the people scammers are targeting.” If you find yourself in a vulnerable state after a storm, here are ways to protect yourself from scammers. Keep your personal information private Scammers can make clever calls to gain personal details, so don’t open up to just anyone. “We always tell people if you don’t recognize a number, don’t answer it,” Smith says. “If it’s someone you know or someone who really needs to get hold of you, they’re going to leave a message, and you can listen to that message and call them back.” Verify the contact you’re speaking with before sharing any personal information. Make sure workers are equipped to assist “Homeowners need to check if a contractor is licensed and insured before hiring them or handing over any monies,” Parker says. If someone is not licensed to do business in Florida, they won’t be adequately insured. So, if you hire someone to repair your roof and there’s an issue with it, you’ll be in an even bigger mess than you were before. (Plus, unlicensed contracting is a felony during a state of emergency.) Smith recommends getting recommendations for reputable businesses through friends, family and county business inspectors. “Don’t just use Google or Facebook, because they’re not always credible.” Take extra steps to get the truth Just because someone in Federal Emergency Management Agency gear knocks on your door doesn’t mean they’re actually from FEMA. “Unfortunately, scammers go above and beyond sometimes to make their scams look credible,” Smith says. It’s up to you to vet the people promising you relief. “We need you to go above and beyond to ensure the person you’re dealing with is credible. You can always go to the FEMA helpline to make sure people are who they say they are.” Avoid overpaying for products Don’t let retailers and service providers charge you an exorbitant amount for necessities such as hotels, ice, water and generators because of a spike in demand. It’s called price gouging, and it’s illegal. Instead of paying the price, report the high costs to the Florida Office of the Attorney General. Give back wisely If you’re in a position to provide financial assistance to hurricane survivors, avoid contributing to independent fundraisers. “If you donate to a random GoFundMe, you have no idea where that money is going,” Smith says. Instead, try a community foundation or other established entity that can tell you precisely who benefits. If you donate to a cause directly, do your due diligence. “Vet your organizations and make sure the charities are reputable,” Smith adds. Practice patience It can take a long time to heal from a natural disaster, but the process is even longer when you fall for ill-intentioned actions out of desperation. “If you hire the wrong person to do the work, you may be in an even tougher spot afterward,” Smith says. “You want to make sure the work is done appropriately and correctly, so you’re not even paying more money and having it redone.” SIDEBAR: For your reference: To verify if a contractor is licensed in Florida, visit dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz/ For disaster assistance, visit disasterassistance.gov and FEMA.gov To file a price gouging report, call (866) 9.NO.SCAM or visit myfloridalegal.com If you suspect a scam, contact your local sheriff’s office: Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office: 941.631.2101 Collier County Sheriff’s Office: 239.252.9300 Glades County Sheriff’s Office: 863.946.1600 Hendry County Sheriff’s Office: 863.674.5600 Lee County Sheriff’s Office: 239.477.1000 Sources: Claudette Smith, public information officer at Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office clsmith@ccsofl.netLt. Chad Parker, Criminal Investigations Division, Financial Crimes Bureau, Chad.Parker@colliersheriff.org Karie Partington, PIO, Karie.Partington@colliersheriff.org Collier County Sheriff’s Office 239-252-0069