Jeff Deal, WFTV.com

Jeff Deal, WFTV.com

Action 9 consumer investigative reporter

Action 9 consumer investigative reporter Jeff Deal joined the Channel 9 Eyewitness News team in 2006. After 17 years covering some of the biggest stories in central Florida for WFTV, Deal was promoted to Action 9 consumer investigator in 2023. He’s just the second investigator to head the Action 9 team since its creation in 1991. Even before he joined Action 9, Deal had a passion for helping consumers. One of his consumer investigations uncovered shocking business practices at a parking lot near Port Canaveral, where the owner was joyriding in customers’ cars while they were away on cruises. The business closed down and the story garnered worldwide attention, earning WFTV the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award. Deal has also been honored with a National Headliner Award and other regional awards during his journalism career. His main priority is to help consumers protect their families and their wallets by shedding light on scams, rip-offs and questionable business practices. Deal and the Action 9 team have already helped consumers recover tens of thousands of dollars, and they continue to work to hold those responsible for the losses accountable. He enjoys life in Central Florida with his wife Beth and their son. As a graduate of Texas Christian University, Jeff is a fan of Horned Frog sports and is now excited to have UCF and TCU in the same conference. If you have a consumer complaint that you would like Deal and the Action 9 team to look into, you can email action9@wftv.com and jeff.deal@wftv.com.

Latest Headlines by Jeff Deal

‘It was a nightmare’: Woman claims movers threatened to hold belongings hostage

Action 9 started investigating after a local woman reached out claiming a moving company jacked up the price, then threatened to hold her stuff hostage. Karen Jenness told Action 9 Consumer Investigator Jeff Deal, “They said, ‘Fine, we’ll take the truck to our warehouse until you can pay us.’” The company uses the name Best Relocators, but Jenness said her experience with the company was anything but the best. She claims the movers inflated her price by thousands of dollars after about half of her belongings were already on the moving truck.

Canvas school data breach: How to protect yourself

Millions of students, teachers, and other school employees across the country are impacted by a major data breach involving Canvas.  Canvas is a popular educational platform used by colleges, universities, and school systems around the country, including central Florida. It’s something that can make people nervous, but there are ways to protect yourself.

Are airport vendors charging too much for food and drinks? Action 9 put them to the test.

Shopping at the airport seems like it always costs more, but are some prices at Orlando International Airport really flying higher than allowed? “The options are great, but it’s very overpriced,” said Erica King, a traveler passing through the airport. That’s the kind of response you might expect, but many people may not know prices for food, drinks and other items are regulated at MCO and other airports. It’s often called a street pricing policy. For example, if you buy a Big Mac at McDonald’s in central Florida, the price you pay at the airport is supposed to be comparable to the price you pay outside the airport, specifically not more than 15% higher.

Ghost Tapping Scams: How thieves can charge your payment cards without you knowing

Your credit card never leaves your pocket, but somehow your money does. It’s called Ghost Tapping, a proximity-based scam that uses the same tap-to-pay technology you see at legitimate businesses every day to steal from you. Using cheap, easy-to-buy card readers, thieves can trigger wireless transactions just by getting close enough to your wallet or phone. No swipe. No PIN. No warning. Tap-to-pay technology is easy and fast, but scammers are taking advantage of that in these ghost tapping scams.

Tips, hacks, and other easy ways to save money on gas

“I can’t just stop at a regular gas station. I have to look for one that has the best price,” said John Rolon as he was filling his tank in Orlando. Yes, pain at the pump is real and drivers are trying all different things to battle high gas prices. From late February to the middle of April the average price of gas in Florida jumped nearly 50%. Action 9 investigated some of the basic things drivers can do to save money on fuel and make the most of the fuel they buy.

OPD won’t investigate possible illegal tow as a criminal matter

“It was being towed, that’s what it was. It wasn’t stolen,” said an Orlando police officer to John Quillinan during an incident in downtown Orlando in September. That video and sound were captured on a police department body camera after John’s wife, Kim Quillinan called 911 to report their car stolen. John said, “Well, it was stolen by taking the car.” The officer responded, “You’re not understanding.” City of Orlando surveillance video, obtained later, appears to show a tow truck taking their car away from a private parking lot before time expired even though the Quillinans paid to park. Before that surveillance video surfaced, police said they didn’t have sufficient evidence to show a crime was committed and called it a civil matter, but they encouraged the car owners to report it if they had additional information or evidence. After our story aired with that video in December, the car owners filed a police report, but said officers didn’t seem to want to consider any new evidence.

MEGACON Orlando visitor stunned by $255 pedicab charge

I didn’t know what to do, so I paid the guy,” said Tyler Coburn of Brevard County. Coburn claims he got taken for a ride when he was charged an outrageous price for a short pedicab ride outside the Orange County Convention Center after originally getting quoted a lower fare. He told Action 9 Consumer Investigator Jeff Deal the driver initially told him it would be $30 for the ride, but once it ended, the driver informed him it would be more than $250. Action 9 has since learned this isn’t the first time the driver has been accused of trying to inflate the price for his riders.

Action 9 investigates Publix survey scam

A local man thought he won a $1000 Publix gift card. Tim Sikit of Ocala said, “When I hit submit it took me to a Publix Rewards part.” He later learned it was part of an elaborate sweepstake scam. The Publix Customer Voice Survey Sweepstakes is a legitimate contest, but it appears Sikit somehow ended up on a scam website designed to look like the grocery store's real site. Sikit believes he was on the real site, at least, at first. He told Action 9 Consumer Investigator Jeff Deal he answered the survey questions and when he was done a pop-up came up telling him he had won. At the time he got that pop-up, winner hadn’t even been selected yet.

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