With two scams brought to the attention of the Texas County Sheriff’s Department this week alone, Lt. Melissa Dunn has a simple message to avoid becoming the next victim: If it sounds too good to be true, it is.
Dunn said scam artists are on the prowl as rising gas prices have forced difficult economic times. Most arrive through e-mail from an overseas account asking that a check be cashed or as a reward notification for thousands of dollars.
Both are scams.
One person was asked to be the pay agent for a textiles company and was told to keep 10 percent of a check they received in the mail. Another woman was promised a reward of $85,000 after cashing and forwarding a $2,700 check as administrative fees.
Dunn said the deals appear legitimate, but the personal information and addresses that accompany the money are not.
“The checks look like good checks,” Dunn said, “but the paperwork that comes with it is no good.”
There are also telephone scams in circulation. Dunn said a person recently received a telephone call asking to verify banking information for an increase in Medicare coverage.
Although the scams are beyond local jurisdiction and don’t meet the federal threshold for an investigation, Dunn said anyone who receives a suspicious e-mail or phone call can contact the sheriff’s department.
“Please don’t give any money to anybody, unless you’re 100 percent sure about it,” Dunn said.