Katy, TX News – Residents Beware of Ticket Scam
Katy, TX News (December 1, 2014) – The Katy Police Department and the Fort Bend County Sherriff’s Office are issuing a scam alert concerning people posing as law enforcement officers or IRS agents in the Katy area. Numerous calls have been made to City of Katy residents where the caller is impersonating a law enforcement officer or an IRS agent, and informs the victim that they must pay a fine or risk being arrested for “red light” camera violations or back taxes. The victims are told to buy a pre-paid gift card to pay for the fines.
The scammers pressure their victims to load cash onto a pre-paid card that can be purchased almost anywhere, and provide them with the unique 14-digit number on the back. That number is then used by the caller to transfer funds into an account and ultimately launder money out of the country.
Law enforcement officials would like to ask Katy residents to keep in mind that no police officer will ever ask you to pay a fine using a gift card. For City of Katy residents that have been victims of this scam, contact the Katy Police Department at 281-391-4848. For residents that live outside the City of Katy, contact the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office at 281-341-4665, or Harris County Sheriff’s Office at 713-221-6000.
