It’s the Christmas season and scam artists are seeking funds to purchase presents. According to Lewis Tatum, Hopkins County Sheriff’s Chief Criminal Investigator, three scams are being run throughout the county.
Phone calls are being received by area residents in which the caller offers a packet of information and seeks a donation for injured law enforcement officers. Tatum says this is a scam. He states that law enforcement will seek donations through public announcements and personal contact. He advises that you refuse to donate to the phone scam.
One scam involves those selling items on social media. A purported purchaser notifies the seller that they wish to purchase the item and will be sending a cashier’s check for more than the cost of the item. They offer to allow the seller to keep a “little extra” for themselves and send a specific amount back to the purchaser. The cashier’s check will be phony and the seller is out product, and the amount of the cashier’s check.
Another phone scam in which the perpetrator calls saying they represent the local water supply company or city water agency is being carried out. Yesterday, KSST reported that the City of Sulphur Springs water sales collectors were calling city customers. Now, according to Tatum, they are calling area water supply customers. The supposed collectors state that a payment is past due and the customer has a short time frame of just hours to pay the bill. Local water agencies send notices and do not call customers. Check with the water department office itself if you think you may owe a bill.
