As the holiday season approaches, Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee has announced a crackdown on scammers targeting homeowners, while launching a new website to educate the public on how to avoid such schemes. Among those targeted by the latest series of scams is a retired Houston school teacher, Wanda Jackson, who investigators believe was defrauded out of her home by unscrupulous individuals. “He was helping me to find funds that were needed to complete the repairs on my house of 47 years, instead of helping me, he tricked me into signing my entire home over to him,” Jackson explained in a statement obtained by
FOX 26 Houston
.
The lawsuit filed by Menefee names Malcolm Pryor, James Mayer, and their companies, accusing them of fraudulently obtaining Jackson’s property. Menefee issued a warning to the community: “As we head into the holiday season, scams and fraud are spiking,” Menefee said, noting that the scammers employ a variety of tactics including impersonating friends and families and stealing personal information through deceptive prize offerings. Menefee’s office is not just stopping at civil actions; it is poised to pass on more information to law enforcement as the investigation unfolds,
FOX 26 Houston
reports.
A second case involves a company named A & L Sheds, which is alleged to have scammed numerous people, with victims purportedly defrauded out of nearly $1.2 million. One victim, Vey Bean, a paralegal and a mother of two, as
KHOU
reported. The company owner, Amanda Sparks, was arrested in McLennan County but released on bond.
The response to these fraudulent activities has been multifaceted with Menefee’s office launching the initiative to protect residents from scams. The new website, scamfreehc.com, is a resource designed to offer the latest information and tips to prevent residents from falling prey to schemes and provides a platform to report scams that have already occurred. “Our goal in filing these lawsuits is twofold. One, to stop the activity as soon as we possibly can and then two, as we glean more information, we’ll turn it over to law enforcement,” Menefee said, according to details provided by
FOX 26 Houston
.
Note: Thank you for visiting our website! We strive to keep you informed with the latest updates based on expected timelines, although please note that we are not affiliated with any official bodies. Our team is committed to ensuring accuracy and transparency in our reporting, verifying all information before publication. We aim to bring you reliable news, and if you have any questions or concerns about our content, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!
Leave a Reply