[NotGolfer]

Today we got an "official" looking letter from Access Central Mail Center in Ocala. It was a notice of case action, State of FL Department of Children and Families. This was saying an application had been made and denied. Right away we're thinking it's a scam and I don't want to call their number. It was after hours but I sent in a complaint both to the state attorney's office as well as Senior Against Crime. Have any of you folks also received such a letter? I'm just trying to cross my "t's" and dot my "i's" on this issue.

******I just wanted to report it....so I did e-mail Seniors Against Crime as well as sent one to the state. The offices there (either place) aren't open yet. No, we don't have grandkids or children who have lived with us. I suspect this is a scam so wouldn't contact that number. I get weary of ALL the scammers out there. Didn't seem to hit us til we moved to Florida. BUT in reading social media posts from where we used to live---bad things there have ramped up too. I suppose because we're a "senior community" they feel we're fair game.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by NotGolfer

Today we got an "official" looking letter from Access Central Mail Center in Ocala. It was a notice of case action, State of FL Department of Children and Families. This was saying an application had been made and denied. Right away we're thinking it's a scam and I don't want to call their number. It was after hours but I sent in a complaint both to the state attorney's office as well as Senior Against Crime. Have any of you folks also received such a letter? I'm just trying to cross my "t's" and dot my "i's" on this issue.

Depends on which phone number it is. If it's 850-300-4323, it's the legit number for the Florida Department of Children and Families. If it's 800-962-2873, that's the Florida Abuse Hotline, and legit (if the letter is about abuse).

You can check out the other phone numbers and contact information here:

Contact Us - Florida Department of Children and Families

Unfortunately, Florida is somewhat backward and uses a .com address for their website instead of a .gov like the rest of the civilized world. So it seems like it might be a fake website. But this is their actual website, I've referred to it before.

[Stu from NYC]

I would call and look for more info but definitely do not provide info to them until you know it is legitimate.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

I would call and look for more info but definitely do not provide info to them until you know it is legitimate.

I wouldn't ever call a phone number on a piece of mail from a group/organization that I wasn't expecting to receive. I'd go to the group's website, and call the number I see there.

Calling a phone number from random unexpected mail that you don't even know why you got it, that states you have a denied claim? That's a HUGE red flag. And that is exactly how people end up parted from their money.

[djlnc]

I got an interesting phishing email the other day. It was from a purported charity organization thanking me for my donation. They said to click on the html link to view my receipt. Hah!

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Depends on which phone number it is. If it's 850-300-4323, it's the legit number for the Florida Department of Children and Families. If it's 800-962-2873, that's the Florida Abuse Hotline, and legit (if the letter is about abuse).

You can check out the other phone numbers and contact information here:

Contact Us - Florida Department of Children and Families

Unfortunately, Florida is somewhat backward and uses a .com address for their website instead of a .gov like the rest of the civilized world. So it seems like it might be a fake website. But this is their actual website, I've referred to it before.

I would do a reverse number lookup by Googling it.

[villagetinker]

Originally Posted by NotGolfer

Today we got an "official" looking letter from Access Central Mail Center in Ocala. It was a notice of case action, State of FL Department of Children and Families. This was saying an application had been made and denied. Right away we're thinking it's a scam and I don't want to call their number. It was after hours but I sent in a complaint both to the state attorney's office as well as Senior Against Crime. Have any of you folks also received such a letter? I'm just trying to cross my "t's" and dot my "i's" on this issue.

I would use the internet or phonebook to get the number for this agency and then call that number and ask what is going on.

[DaleDivine]

Originally Posted by NotGolfer

Today we got an "official" looking letter from Access Central Mail Center in Ocala. It was a notice of case action, State of FL Department of Children and Families. This was saying an application had been made and denied. Right away we're thinking it's a scam and I don't want to call their number. It was after hours but I sent in a complaint both to the state attorney's office as well as Senior Against Crime. Have any of you folks also received such a letter? I'm just trying to cross my "t's" and dot my "i's" on this issue.

Did you place an application with this department? If not, then probably a scam.
Like others have said, DO NOT give out any info to them over the phone...

[thevillages2013]

Originally Posted by NotGolfer

Today we got an "official" looking letter from Access Central Mail Center in Ocala. It was a notice of case action, State of FL Department of Children and Families. This was saying an application had been made and denied. Right away we're thinking it's a scam and I don't want to call their number. It was after hours but I sent in a complaint both to the state attorney's office as well as Senior Against Crime. Have any of you folks also received such a letter? I'm just trying to cross my "t's" and dot my "i's" on this issue.

Have you had or do you currently have children/grandchildren living with you or do they live in Florida in another residence?

[NoMo50]

Why would that agency be contacting you? We're you expecting them to? If not, I would ignore it.

[jimkerr]

Simple, if you didn’t do anything with that agency to begin with just toss it in the trash. Lots of scams are out there.

[Bwolf1]

Always check postage on letters received. If sent “Standard Mail” it is junk. I don’t even open it. Right into the chipper.

[noslices1]

Originally Posted by NotGolfer

Today we got an "official" looking letter from Access Central Mail Center in Ocala. It was a notice of case action, State of FL Department of Children and Families. This was saying an application had been made and denied. Right away we're thinking it's a scam and I don't want to call their number. It was after hours but I sent in a complaint both to the state attorney's office as well as Senior Against Crime. Have any of you folks also received such a letter? I'm just trying to cross my "t's" and dot my "i's" on this issue.

Just throw it away. If you didn’t initiate a request, it’s obviously a scam.

[Girlcopper]

Originally Posted by NotGolfer

Today we got an "official" looking letter from Access Central Mail Center in Ocala. It was a notice of case action, State of FL Department of Children and Families. This was saying an application had been made and denied. Right away we're thinking it's a scam and I don't want to call their number. It was after hours but I sent in a complaint both to the state attorney's office as well as Senior Against Crime. Have any of you folks also received such a letter? I'm just trying to cross my "t's" and dot my "i's" on this issue.

******I just wanted to report it....so I did e-mail Seniors Against Crime as well as sent one to the state. The offices there (either place) aren't open yet. No, we don't have grandkids or children who have lived with us. I suspect this is a scam so wouldn't contact that number. I get weary of ALL the scammers out there. Didn't seem to hit us til we moved to Florida. BUT in reading social media posts from where we used to live---bad things there have ramped up too. I suppose because we're a "senior community" they feel we're fair game.

Well, you just lost about 30 min of your life on nonsense. Obviously, a scam. There is a million red flags there. Throw it away. No one is going to investigate one complaint on one scam out of 9 million out there and theres no victim so therefore no crime. No one was scammed money, no one was anything. You got junk mail. Thats it. Scams have been occurring since the 1900s if not earlier.

[mawilliams]

This might be a case of identity theft. You might want to call the legitimate number and check to see if anyone has made a claim using your information. Something similar happened to my daughter in RI.