ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — What’s supposed to be a sweet side of business turned into a financial meltdown for one St. Johns County ice cream shop owner.

Debra Alessi-Sromovski says she’s been serving up desserts and smiles for more than a year at The Pink Parlor , located near Nocatee. But lately, she’s been watching someone else scoop up her profits.

“I've sent demands letters to get payment. They owe me over $3,200,” Alessi-Sromovski said.

The trouble began in June, when she received a suspicious email from Uber Eats warning about unauthorized access to her merchant account. Shortly after, strange phone calls followed, and then, the discovery that someone had taken control of her business profile.

The Pink Parlor's name was still on the merchant account, but the bank information had

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