About 2 weeks ago I got caught shoplifting about $30 worth of makeup in a Walmart located in Florida I am under age, i'm 14 and I got caught while my mom was there. The lady made a copy of my mothers ID and told her that I didn't damage any of the stuff that, the store could resell it easily they just had to make a new barcode for the item. She said that I would be receiving a letter in the mail PROBABLY asking for a SMALL fee to pay for the bar code. Today I checked the mail and I got the letter from "Law Offices of Palmer, Reifler & Associates P.A." it says that under Florida stat 772.11 "civil remedy for theft or explotation" that I have to pay a $200 fee in 20 days , and once I pay the fee I will get all charges dropped. I haven't showed my parents the note and I'm scared to death too because we're having money trouble right now and I already got into so much trouble the day I got caught I really don't want to get into more trouble. Does the state of Florida take shoplifting for minors seriously? What will happen if I ignore these letters? Is this letter a scam because I heard that the law office is horrible and they just send you these letters to take your money. This is my first tine ever getting in trouble with the law and im a VERY good studen in school. PLEASE HELP ME.

