TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Man Charged With Scamming TECO Customers

ADVERTISEMENT

By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 8, 2009

Updated: 01/08/2009 03:16 pm

Ronald A. Favorite

TAMPA - Ronald Anthony Favorite, who investigators say used fake Tampa Electric Co. identification to get Hillsborough County residents to pay him their bills, has been arrested.

Favorite went to three University Area homes Dec. 17 to 31 and pretended to be a TECO employee performing an audit, Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay spokeswoman Lisa Haber said. Favorite claimed there were problems with bills, explained the customer owed less than the bill stated and told the customer to pay the bill in cash to him, Haber said.

Hillsborough deputies arrested Favorite on Tuesday at 13542 N. Florida Ave. Favorite, 28, was charged with three counts of organized fraud involving less than $20,000. He also was charged with violating probation.

TECO spokesman Rick Morera said this week his agency has learned through investigators and customers that anywhere from 12 to 24 customers living in Central or North Tampa may have been affected.

Favorite was collecting money from customers at their homes, which is something Tampa Electric employees don't do, Morera said.

Favorite declined to comment today.

Deputies were able to find him thanks to two tips called in from citizens, Haber said.

Crime Stoppers had offered a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to Favorite's arrest. The two tipsters will receive $200 each for their help in catching him, Haber said.

"I'm ecstatic," she said. "I'm always happy when we work on a case and it yields good results."

Favorite's probation for organized fraud involving less than $20,000, which began in December, was slated to end in December 2010. That incident also involved him claiming to be a TECO employee and performing a fake audit, Haber said.

The Hillsborough County Jail Web site lists his occupation as software technician.

Favorite remains in Orient Road Jail today. His bail has not been set.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT