Legal experts warning SETX community about recent scam | #phishing | #scams | #hacking | #aihp

BEAUMONT, Texas — Legal experts in Jefferson County are attempting to help the community avoid a scam that is being used to pick Southeast Texans’ pockets.

Millions of Americans fall victim to various scams annually. From Nigerian internet scams to smartphone billing scams, legal experts said scammers will use any method possible to try and get personal financial information.

Experts are warning Southeast Texans of another type of scam that has reared its face throughout the community.

Scammers pretend to be government officials and tell people that they owe unpaid fines, according to a District Attorney’s Office release. A person is then told by the scammer that to clear the unpaid fines, they have to get a “MoneyPak card.”

The scammer will then request financial information from the card. Once they get it, the scammers get the money they want then leave.

Experts are encouraging Southeast Texans to stay cautious regarding these types of scams. Unless a person is absolutely sure about who they are talking to, they are advised to never share any financial or personal information.

From a Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office release: 

Most of us are aware that each year, millions of Americans continue to fall prey to various scams, including but not limited to Nigerian internet scams and Smart phone billing scams. Scammers will use many methods of trying to acquire personal financial information.

In our area, a recent type of scam has emerged wherein the scammer is again attempting to pick the pockets of our citizens. The scammer claims to be a government official and asserts that the citizen owes unpaid fines. The scammer informs the citizen that to clear these unpaid fines, they will need to acquire a MoneyPak card. The scammer then requests financial information from the card. Once that information is communicated the money and the scammer are gone. Please be guarded against these type of scams and do not share any financial or personal information unless you are absolutely sure to whom you are speaking.