Florida Attorney General warns consumers of new scam targeting mobile payments

ORLANDO, Fla. — Attorney General Ashley Moody is warning consumers that hackers are taking advantage of the increase in mobile payment app usage.

Moody stated that the COVID-19 pandemic may have fueled the increase in people using mobile payments in order to prevent the spread of germs.

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According to a release from Moody’s office, in 2019, 64 million individuals in the United States used peer-to-peer mobile payments.

Today that number has increased to over 92 million.

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With the holiday season upon us, that number is only expected to increase.

“Mobile payment app usage is on the rise and with the rapid increase in the popularity of these apps, comes the potential for hackers and scammers to attempt to interrupt transactions,” Moody said. “Please be careful when using these apps and take steps to ensure the money you are sending goes to the intended recipient and not to a scammer.” To prevent mobile payment app hacks, Attorney General Moody offered tips to help Floridians use mobile payment apps safely and securely:

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· Create a second bank account with limited funds to connect to mobile payment applications; · Register a credit card rather than a bank account or a debit card as credit cards provide extra user protections; · Regularly review financial statements to check for signs of fraudulent transactions; and · Verify that money being sent is going to the correct recipient.

To check out other recent Consumer Alerts released by AG Moody, visit the Florida Consumer Alert webpage.

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