Local scams in 2016, including one that cost someone $250,000
Everyday in East Texas, there are numerous scamming attempts. Just a daily look at area police reports will bear that out. There always seems to be someone reporting that their financial information was compromised or that someone tried to get secure information through a phone call.
While law enforcement agencies hear numerous reports of possible scams or frauds, very few of those instances are reported to the Better Business Bureau (BBB). They do have a 'Scam Tracker' site that encourages consumers to report a business or offer that sounds like an illegal scheme or fraud. It's a great site not only to report scams, but also for others to use as an educational tool to see what types of scams that may be making the rounds in the area.
Every possible scam instance shows the name of the business used, how much money was lost, the type of scam (phishing, credit card, sweepstakes, etc...), as well as the actual detailed description of what happened, in the words of the consumer. According to this 'Scam Tracker' site, a total of 17 scams have been reported in the immediate Lufkin/Nacogdoches area over the past nine months. Most of the scams have resulted in either no loss of money or a loss of less than $100. However, one online scam resulted in the loss of nearly $5,000 for one East Texan, and another local reported $250,000 lost on a 'romance' scam.
To see the details of these and other scams from the East Texas area, simply click on the button below, then zoom into the Deep East Texas area.
Keep yourself informed on the latest scams in the area and never give personal information to someone on the phone or internet unless you are 100% sure of the security of the source.