Deputy Tom Kaczmarek of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office was the guest speaker at the LWRWC’s May 8 meeting at LWR Town Hall.

Deputy Tom Kaczmarek is the Crime Prevention Explorer Advisor of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

With 22 years of experience, including 7 years as a Detective, he has investigated cases involving fraud, elderly exploitation, and property crimes. Deputy Kaczmarek holds two designations from the Florida Attorney General’s Office and has contributed to the successful prosecution of many cases in Manatee County and beyond.

Here are some key points discussed:
• Fraud is a criminal deception intended for personal gain.
• Identity Theft – covers your Social Security, date of birth, name, driver’s license, bank accounts, and credit cards.
• Follow this Facebook link for information on current scams and activities in Manatee County:
Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
• Examples of scams targeting consumers include phantom Facebook users, inheritance scams, Clearing House
mailings, fake IRS letters, Sun Pass toll scam, Bitcoin “Pig Butcher,” Crypto Scare Scam and more.
• One of the most concerning frauds involves senior citizens using online dating platforms.
• Use a VPN when using public Wi-Fi to prevent unauthorized access to your accounts. Secondly, implement a
“code word” for family safety and track your family with 360.
• Before hiring, verify the worker’s license at www.myfloridalicenses.com.