JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The holidays are just around the corner and lights are up all around the area.
”Girvin Road” is one of the top destinations for people to see countless lights in Jacksonville.
But a scam is taking away from some of that holiday spirit.
A Groupon made its way around claiming to provide 30% off for purchasers to drive through and see the lights.
The only problem is that the road is free to drive on.
“It’s kind of a shame because there’s people just trying to take advantage of the situation,” Michael Bielamowicz, a resident in the area, said. “Here we are as a community trying to do something good for everybody else and then somebody wants to come in and make some money off of it. It makes it cheap.”
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said they are aware of the situation and are investigating.
Here’s the full statement below:
This is a long-standing event, and typically, due to its popularity and the sheer number of visitors it has drawn, the neighborhoods have hired JSO officers through our Secondary Employment Unit.
We have been made aware of this, and the information has been forwarded to the appropriate unit for follow-up. I can tell you the association has advised us they had been made aware of the “Groupon” and they were unsure of the source, and it would appear to be a scam. They re-iterated they have not, and do not plan to charge any monies to those visiting the site.
I have not been made aware of any victims at this time, If you are aware of specific individuals that have been victimized as a result of the “Groupon”, we would ask that they call the non-emergency number to report the incident.
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
Countless lights or just about every color dangle from the trees and illuminate the yards. It costs money to put together, but several homeowners said they have no plans to charge any money for it.
“It’s not necessary,” Lee McGinnis said. “We do it out of the love for it.”
JSO said they haven’t been made aware of any victims yet.
If you did buy one of the Groupons, JSO is asking you to reach out to them on their non-emergency line at 904-630-0500.