Florida Toughens Penalties for Scammers of Vets, Military

Holly Petraeus, backed by dozens of veterans and flanked on her right by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Gov. Rick Scott, speaks at the Florida bill signing Monday at MacDill Air Force Base.

Whether they’re offering predatory car loans or trying to sell burial services at the National Cemeteries  – there are scammers who prey on active-duty military and veterans.

Monday, Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed HB 1223 that gives service members an added layer of protection from fraud and scams.

“The bill creates a significant civil penalty that will be added on top of restitution for attempting to steal from our veterans and  their families.” Scott said during a bill signing ceremony at Tampa’s MacDill Air Force Base. “This new layer of protection will send a strong message to the nation that in Florida we’ll do whatever ti takes to protect our veterans and their families.