HOUSTON COUNTY, Ala (WDNews) – The Houston County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference this morning to alert the Wiregrass area about multiple scams circulating in the region. Sheriff Donald Valenza, Corporal Brandon Barnes, and Investigator Chuck Gray focused on a recent phishing scam that resulted in an elderly woman losing approximately $20,000.
In this specific phishing scam, the woman received an email regarding her Geek Squad and Best Buy accounts, claiming she was due a refund. According to Cpl. Brandon Barnes, after processing the fake “refund,” the scammers communicated that an error had been made, and too much money had been sent by adding a zero to the refund. The scammers then instructed the woman to withdraw money from her bank account and send it through a machine similar to an ATM. Unfortunately, she complied and sent the money.
The Houston County Sheriff’s Office has been trying to recover the woman’s money, but according to investigators, the company involved has been uncooperative.
Cpl. Barnes emphasized the importance of spreading awareness, particularly among elderly residents, saying, “If you have mothers or grandparents that may not be reading this, let them know, and make them aware.” He also noted that older adults are often more susceptible to such scams.
In addition to this email scam, phone scams are still prevalent in the area. Residents are urged to be cautious and to avoid providing money or personal information over the phone. When in doubt, contact a trusted source or the Sheriff’s Office for assistance.
