Texas Residents Warned About Sergeant Patterson Scam

There is a new phone scam that is hitting Texas and Louisiana and the scammers continue to use the same fake name of a law enforcement officer. We know that scams are going on all the time, it's sad, but we always need to be aware of what could potentially be a scam.

East Texas Woman Receives Suspicious Call

My wife told me about a scam call that she received yesterday while she was at work. She said that the number was from a 903-area code, so it didn't seem suspicious. Her employer doesn't allow employees to use their cell phones for personal calls during work hours, so she let the call go to voicemail.

There was a message left by a man identifying himself as "Sergeant Patterson" from Smith County, then left a phone number for her to call him back.

My wife then attempted to call the number back, trying to get information from this unexpected call, but she knew this didn't seem right. She hung up and within minutes "Sergeant Patterson" called back and said, "I missed your call?"

A Quick Google Search Revealed the Truth

In just those few minutes my wife searched online about "Sargeant Patterson" and found reports online linking the same name to scams across Texas and Louisiana. So, my wife then responded to the man by saying, "No, I looked into it and no thank you."

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Scammer Became Aggressive After Being Exposed

That is when he started swearing at Savannah insulting her, these scammers are the worst.

Just be very careful of any messages or phone calls you receive. Never provide personal information or call back a number from an unexpected voicemail claiming to be law enforcement. Contact your local agency directly using its official phone number if you're unsure.

6 Common Scams Found in Texas

Here is a look at six of the most common scams found in the state of Texas. Remember these so you don't become a victim.

Gallery Credit: Billy Jenkins

8 Things To Do If You Paid A Phone Scammer

Merciless phone scammers are targeting unaware folks with schemes involving pleas for charity, car warranties, unpaid traffic tickets, you name it. The Federal Trade Commission says, "Scammers often ask you to pay in ways that make it tough to get your money back. No matter what payment method you used to pay, the sooner you act, the better."

If you have paid one of these scammers and then realize you have been scammed, here are 8 tips from the Federal Trade Commission, on what to do if you have paid a scammer.

Gallery Credit: Brad Carpenter/Federal Trade Commission/Canva

Categories: East Texas News