Vernon Parish sheriff warns of online scam surge in West Louisiana

LEESVILLE, La. (KALB) - The Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office has posted nine scam warnings since the beginning of February, alerting residents to a range of fraud schemes targeting people across west Louisiana.

The scams include fraudulent OMV text messages about unpaid tolls, fake messages impersonating banks and callers posing as law enforcement officers claiming the recipient has an active warrant.

Vernon Parish Sheriff Sam Craft said the office has also encountered scammers posing as bail bondsmen, telling targets that a family member is in jail and requesting payments to secure their release.

“People, sadly, fall for that,” he said.

Sheriff Craft said the scam frequently targets people with grandchildren who are away at college or living elsewhere.

“You get this sudden phone call. Again, panic sets in. You want to do the right thing. But the right thing to do is hang up, make a phone call, verify if this is indeed true or not,” he said.

The sheriff said residents who suspect they are being targeted should contact their local sheriff’s office. Those who believe they have encountered a scam can also report it to the Better Business Bureau to help prevent others from becoming victims.

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