The Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office reports a rise in recent scams, and wants citizens to be aware.
"The Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office has received information from a local bank who has recently noticed an increase in sophisticated scams targeting our community. In these recent scams, scammers are using fake emails, texts, and phone calls to pose as banks, utilities, government agencies, and other trusted organizations in an attempt to steal personal or financial information," a post on the VPSO Facebook page states.
Sheriff Eddie Langlinais reminds Vermilion residents to watch for red flags:
"Urgent messages" about account problems
Suspicious activity
Fake links asking you to "verify" information
Tech support scams
Check washing from stolen mail
To protect yourself, avoid clicking links or responding to unexpected messages, verify information directly using official websites or phone numbers, secure your mail, and monitor your bank accounts regularly, the sheriff advises.
"When you receive communications, take a moment to remember that scammers rely on urgency. Do not interact with the sender," the post states. "Your awareness helps keep our community safe."
AARP has a robust collection of information about scams, how they operate and how you can protect yourself. You can see that here.
The federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau also has a lot of information here, and the Louisiana State Bar Association also has some advice on scams and fraud here.
