So Many Scams To Watch Out For In Amarillo, Texas Right Now

Scammers are an ever-present problem, even in Amarillo, Texas. They are constantly coming up with new ways to try and separate you from the money you traded all of that time to earn. If there's a bright spot to the news that scammers are constantly on the prowl, it's that the scams are pretty easy to spot.

The Jury Duty Scam In Amarillo, Texas

This scam is pretty brazen, and fortunately, Potter County Sheriff's Office got the word out recently about how these scammers are trying to scare you into giving them a big payday. It all begins with a phone call about jury duty.

The scammers will call you pretending to be the Sheriff's Office, demanding that you pay a hefty fine for not showing up for jury duty. Most of us know that you can potentially get in some trouble for not showing up for jury duty, so the premise doesn't seem that farfetched. The scammers demand $5,000 and threaten to come arrest you if you don't pay up.

The Sheriff's Office, in a social media post, put the truth out in black and white for all to see. First of all, they aren't going to call you demanding money. That's just not how they operate. They also aren't interested in gift cards or bitcoin, just so you know. Second, you need to know about the reality of getting in trouble for missing jury duty.

While it can happen, their post makes it seem like it doesn't happen as often as you might think. The best thing to do if you get a call like this is to hang up and call the Sheriff's Office yourself to confirm what you're being told. Even better, just hang up.

Smishing And Fake Deliveries In Amarillo, Texas: What You Need To Know

In a recent post on social media, the Amarillo Police Department tackled the subject of smishing and fake deliveries in Amarillo. The way this one works is the scammer sends you an unexpected text message regarding a delivery. In the text message will be a link, and you'll be instructed to follow the link. If it doesn't open, you're told to open the link in your browser. Once you've done that, they start asking for all kinds of personal information they can use to separate you from your cash.

Red flag number one is that the text message is about a delivery you don't remember ever expecting. Sure, there are those of us who make a drunk Amazon purchase once in a while as kind of a fun surprise for later, but most of us remember once we see our bank balance. Don't fall for it.

Red flag number two is that they instruct you to follow some random link to fill out some personal information. I've never had anyone send me a link to fill out personal info regarding a purchase I've made online. The easiest way to avoid this scam is to never follow a link from a text message you don't expect to receive. Especially when it's completely unexpected. Just delete the message and move on. You can read the details below.

Scammers are getting more creative by the day. Don't let yourself be fooled. If it seems odd or completely unexpected, it's probably a scam.