HCSO Warns Of Jury Duty Phone Scam
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is warning local residents of a jury duty phone scam. “We have been made aware that someone is calling people posing as a county employee and demanding 500 dollars because the victim failed to show for jury duty. No one from the Sheriff’s Office is going to call and ask for money over the phone. If you ever have a question if something is a scam or not, call and speak to a...
Alert: Medicare Phone Scam Attempted On Hopkins County Resident
A local resident reported a Medicare phone scam, and said while she did not fall prey to it, asked KSST to let others in the community know so no one will fall victim to it. The woman received a phone call Wednesday from someone claiming to be from the Medicare, Part B office. The caller claimed to be contacting her to schedule an annual “genetic testing.” That ,she said, was a red flag to her, even though the individual...
An Old Phone Scam Making the Rounds Again
A phone scam that has been around for several years is making the rounds again in Hopkins County. The heart of the scam is the tried and true “Purchase a gift card, and tell me the numbers” bit. These individuals typically have thick accents and use strangely suspicious ‘American Names’. How it works You may receive a robo call, telling you a story about winning a mayor prize, in my case it was a very famous...
Listen to the Phone Scam
Thieves, scams and con artists have been around since the beginning of time. Telephone based fraud really hit it’s stride in the 1980s. Internet based calling, Caller ID spoofing, and the dramatic price drop in acquiring a phone number has allowed thieves ramp up their efforts. “Call Centers” can now exist anywhere in the world, and contact people anywhere virtually free. Some seek personal information, credit cards...
IRS Phone Scam Rings Again
It’s happening again. A telephone scam in which the caller says he represents the IRS is once again being worked in the area. A Como resident reports two automated phone calls requesting a return call to a specific 800 number to arrange payment to the IRS for money owed. The calls stated that the individual was in severe trouble with the IRS. The resident did not return the call. The IRS has warned consumers to guard against such scam...
Phone Scam Seeks Social Security Number
Phone scams continue to multiply and others cycle from place to place and year to year. Currently, a KSST listener reports a caller claiming to have the 888 phone number for the Civic Procedures Division of the State of Texas. The caller says that the individual being called is being summoned in a civil court case and is requiring the one called to call the 1-888-864-4232 number and give a case number to find out any more...
Water Bill Phone Scam In Sulphur Springs
Home and business owners in Sulphur Springs may be receiving a phone call from a group claiming to be with the city’s water department. City Manager Marc Maxwell has announced that this is indeed a scam. Scammers are attempting to con residents by calling to inform them that the water lines at their residence or business will be shut off unless a “remaining balance is paid in full within two hours of the phone call.”...
Chief Investigator Tatum Warns County Residents Regarding Unique Phone Scam
There seems to be an abundance of scam phone calls taking place in Hopkins County as we approach the holidays. A new twist to the scam is that the callers are seeking legitimacy by saying they are affiliated with county government. Sheriff’s Chief Criminal Investigator Lewis Tatum said County Judge Robert Newsom has been receiving complaints from county citizens regarding phone calls in which the caller identifies themself as...
Phoney Check Scam Making the Rounds
The images shown were taken of a letter sent to a Hopkins County Senior Citizen. The bogus check had her name and current address on it. Spread the word and help people avoid these scam artists. This type of scam is common. A bogus check is sent to unsuspecting people. They attempt to deposit the check and meanwhile send real money back to the thieves via wire transfer. The bait is the promise of a huge cash winning. That payout...
Consumer Alert: Tax Scams Are on The Rise
March 20, 2024 – The IRS recently warned that financial scams are on the rise, especially during tax season. Reduce your risk of becoming a target by staying alert and knowing what to watch for. Spotting the most common tax scams. Scammers may contact you via phone, email, text or social media and then impersonate the IRS to make you think there’s a problem with your tax return. Common scam strategies include: Scam alert...
