East Texas Man Nearly Loses $10K in Terrifying ‘Kidnapping’ Scam

An East Texas Constable wants everyone to be very careful as there is a 'kidnapping' scam circulating and one man almost lost $10,000. It was really great to see that Smith County Precinct 4 Constable Josh Joplin recently created a video on social media to give more insight into the scam to make sure that no one else becomes a victim.

How the East Texas ‘Kidnapping’ Scam Worked

We all know that scams are going on all around us, so it's important to stay alert at all times. But recently there was an East Texas man that almost lost $10,000 after receiving a scam call in which someone claimed his daughter had been kidnapped.

READ MORE: East Texas Woman Loses $13K in Bitcoin Scam

The Scammer Told the Man to Deposit $10,000 at Walmart

The caller then demanded $10,000 and instructed the man to go to the Walmart on Highway 31 East to deposit the money into a machine. According to the Constable, the man could hear a woman screaming in the background and he was almost positive it was his daughter.

The stress of the situation overwhelmed the man while he was at the store. The man became so overwhelmed that he lost consciousness and was taken to the hospital. He is okay and now in stable condition.

Fortunately, the man didn't deposit any money and his daughter is safe.

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Smith County Constable Shares Warning Signs of the Scam

These imposter scams remain a serious problem not only here in East Texas but across the country. The Federal Trade Commission reports Americans lost $3.5 billion to impostor scams in 2025.

The most common red flag with these scams is being told to use a money transfer or cryptocurrency machine.

Other red flags of a scam call include:

• Calls from outside of the country
• Unrecognizable phone number
• Caller who makes you stay on the line
• Request for things like PIN number, account number, or verification codes
• Impersonation of a business or someone you may know

If you receive a call that you believe to be suspicious, remember to contact law enforcement.