Cooke County —
MUENSTER — An official with Cooke County Electric Cooperative recently warned of a scam designed to steal customer’s financial information.
Electric Cooperative member services manager John Walterscheid said one of his customers received a phone call Tuesday about a delinquent account and was asked to make a credit card payment to settle the debt.
“About 1:30 yesterday afternoon they received this call, and they said the caller said they were delinquent on their payment,” Walterscheid said. “Whoever called our member had a foreign accent so that sent up a flag immediately. The member checked their account online and yes, their bill was due but not past due.”
He said the customer called Cooke County Electric and gave company officials the phone number linked to the scam call.
“When we called the number we found out it was a jeweler who had no idea someone was using his number for a scam,” Walterscheid said, adding anyone who receives a telephone request for an account payment should hang up and call the company for verification.
“We want to make sure everybody in the community knows if someone is asking for your personal financial information, don’t give it to them,” he said. “Call the company directly and make sure they were the one who called you.”
Walterscheid also noted his company doesn’t call customers in reference to delinquent accounts.
“We do not contact members by phone for past due payments as part of the collection process,” he said. “We do take credit card payments but we don’t solicit them.”
Walterscheid said he hopes to call attention to the potential scam before area residents become victims.
“We want to be proactive and take it out to the community as a whole,” he said. “Everyone should be cautious about what information they give out, especially if you’re not the one initiating the call.”
Local News
Cooke County Electric official warns of scam
- Local News
-
-
Land deal could bring corporations to city
Today’s Gainesville City Council meeting includes a public hearing on a Gainesville Economic Development Corporation (GEDC) petition to annex 143 acres of land into city limits.
-
Donation drive set to help storm victims
Donations for survivors in need following severe tornado damage in Cleburne and Granbury are currently being accepted at Bealls Department Store in the Gainesville Shopping Center.
-
Devastation slows recovery effort in Moore, Okla.
A tornado that was described as “absolutely horrific” blazed a path of destruction across this Oklahoma southeast community that now has felt Mother’s Nature’s most powerful punch several times in the past 20 years.
-
Mud Run fun
Both children and adults had a blast at this year’s “M-o-o-ving Thru’ the Mud with Landon.”
-
Texas adds more than 33K new jobs in April
Texas’ seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment expanded by 33,100 jobs in April. Texas added 326,100 jobs from April 2012 to April 2013. The state’s annual growth rate in April stood at 3.0 percent, and has been above 2.5 percent since the beginning of 2012. Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged in April at 6.4 percent. It remains well below the nation’s April unemployment rate of 7.5 percent.
-
Fire support and rehab team donates to Callisburg VFD
Cooke County Fire Support and Rehab Team recently purchased some items for Callisburg Volunteer Fire Department.
-
VFW plans Memorial Day ceremony
This year’s Memorial Day ceremony is set to combine rigorous tribute and storytelling with a notable twist.
-
The Big One: Preparing for mid-America earthquake
Part 5 of a five-part series
It’s a bleak scenario. A massive earthquake along the New Madrid fault kills or injures 60,000 people in Tennessee. A quarter of a million people are homeless. The Memphis airport – the country’s biggest air terminal for packages – goes off-line. Major oil and gas pipelines across Tennessee rupture, causing shortages in the Northeast. In Missouri, another 15,000 people are hurt or dead. Cities and towns throughout the central U.S. lose power and water for months. Losses stack up to hundreds of billions of dollars. -
National Transportation Safety Board considers lowering blood alcohol levels for drivers
Members of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) have announced new recommendations in their continued quest to end drunk driving.
During the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, alcohol is a common theme in many celebratory activities throughout the nation and state, and, therefore, many Texans unnecessarily die in vehicular accidents involving alcohol-impaired drivers.
This past week, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) officials announced several new recommendations relating to drunk driving, including lowering the national blood alcohol content (BAC) standard from .08 to .05. -
Valley View officials sworn in
Valley View city officials were sworn in during a recent city council meeting.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Land deal could bring corporations to city
Looking for Love? Take the Prague Metro
Crews Race to Find Survivors of Okla. Twister
First Person: Baby Falcons on a New York Bridge
Oklahoma: Images of Devastation, Reunion
Reunited Dad, Son: 'We Just Praise God'
Slow Pokes: Acupuncture Helps Sick Turtles
Moore, Okla. City of Reunions, Tears After Storm
Former IRS Chief: Can't Say How List Happened
Gov. Fallin: Okla. Facing Horrific Disaster
Tim Cook Defends Apple's Tax Accounting
AP Photograher: 'It Was a Miracle' They Got Out
Raw: Crews Search for Survivors of Okla. Tornado
Raw: Tearful Reunion After Okla. Tornado
OKC Hospital Describes Treating Tornado Wounded
Obama Pledges Urgent Aid for Tornado Victims
Raw: Massive Funnel Clouds in Oklahoma
