Florida authorities fighting insurance scam targeting elderly victims of Milton

Milton made landfall in Florida as a dangerous Category 3 hurricane, causing significant damage. Now, another sickening threat has emerged.

Elderly residents are being targeted by an insurance scam in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton that lashed Florida on Thursday.

Milton made landfall in Florida as a dangerous Category 3 storm but weakened to a Category 1 as it moved offshore. It caused major damage, including 12 confirmed deaths across the state.

It also marked a one-in-1000-year event with 460 millilitres of rain falling in St Petersburg, causing severe flooding.

More than 3 million residents lost power, and wind gusts reached 160km/ph near Tampa.

Scammers are now moving in, as the storm moves out, CNN reports.

Officials in Florida are urging residents to be on guard for financial scammers in the wake of the deadly hurricane.

A flooded street in Siesta Key, Florida. Picture: Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo

“Many areas in the county have incurred severe property damage because of back-to-back impacts from Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton,” Pinellas County Consumer Protection said in a public announcement on Thursday.

It warned residents “to be cautious when hiring someone to make repairs.”

“Watch out for ‘fly-by-night’ contractors who take deposits and do little or no work,” the advisory stated.

“Avoid dealing with anyone soliciting work door-to-door; take the opportunity to check them out first.”

Authorities also warned residents of contractors who ask for payments in advance or insist that repairs do not need a permit.

An aerial view shows destruction at the Spanish Lakes country club in Fort Pierce. At least 12 people were dead after Hurricane Milton smashed into Florida. Picture: John Falchetto / AFP

It is also understood a scam has targeted elderly residents at the Spanish Lakes Country Club Village in Fort Pierce, where at least two people died.

“Predators are coming in and trying to con people, elderly victims whose homes were damaged by the tornadoes, trying to con them into signing away their insurance claims,” CNN correspondent Brian Todd said.

“These predators are then billing the insurance companies for that money and siphoning money directly away from the victims.”

He added state teams are now on the ground in those neighbourhoods, trying to spot and stop activity.