Toddler who shot himself expected to survive
A 3-year-old Osceola County boy is recovering at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando after he was shot in the chest.
Latest Headlines by Jeff Deal
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.
‘You have to find the balance’: How young people can establish good credit
Establishing good credit while young can make a big difference in how people manage finances as they grow older. There are steps they can take to make sure they start off on the right foot. These days teens and young adults are bombarded with ads for fancy gadgets, the latest fashion, and flashy cars. Falling into a spending trap is something 22-year-old Andres Agudelo learned at a young age he wanted to avoid. “Yes, you can have nice clothes but is that going to be helping you out in the future?,” Agudelo questioned when sharing his credit journey with Action 9 Consumer Investigator Jeff Deal.
Renters insurance claims likely on hold for displaced tenants
“I got insurance thinking that I’d be covered for something like this,” said Leonidas Papakalos, a tenant at the Rialto apartment building in Dr. Phillips area of Orange County. That’s the frustrating reality for many of the 400 central Florida renters displaced from two different apartment complexes. The Rialto on Sand Lake Road shut down last week. This week some residents had to move out of the Pebble Creek at Lake Mary apartment complex. When emergency evacuations were ordered, people at the Rialto grabbed what they could and left. A week later, living expenses are adding up and renters insurance is top of mind.
Missing mail blamed for hurting local ministry
A local ministry says the mail service is so unreliable it's hurting vulnerable people in our community. Matthew’s Hope Ministries helps the homeless and others in need, but it claims missing mail at its Winter Garden location has become a big problem.
How your personal data may already be on the Dark Web for free
Discover the alarming truth about how your personal information is being stolen and shared on the dark web. Learn how to protect yourself from identity theft.
Local woman charged more than $800 on someone else’s Spectrum account
An Orange County woman said a cell phone company kept her card on file and charged her for months without her permission. “$884. That is ridiculous,” Norma Brown told Action 9 Consumer Investigator Jeff Deal. Brown said she made a one-time payment on someone else's Spectrum account then got hit with the extra charges. She claims she specifically told them not to add her card to the account. Realizing when it comes to money many people need a hand up from time to time, Norma Brown said she was just trying to help by offering to make a payment on the Spectrum cell phone plan that wasn't hers.
‘That was my nest egg’: Retired Daytona Beach woman scammed out of $135,000
A Daytona Beach woman fell victim to a scam that's changed her life forever. “I'm terrified. I can't eat. I can't sleep. That was, you know, that was my nest egg,” said Carol Ann Moritz. Moritz lost much of her life savings after she was contacted by scammers pretending to be from her bank. She told Action 9 Consumer Investigator Jeff Deal, “I have enough to pay the bills, but I don't have enough for a nice life anymore.” The scam started with a phone call from a woman who claimed she was with Fifth Third Bank. The woman told Moritz that someone in Akron, Ohio was trying to access her account and steal her money.
