fraud

Gerardo Juarez didn't really know how to play any band instruments, but he wasn't going to let that get into his way of moving into an affordable dormitory!

If you're a guy in Gen X, watch your credit card statements! Men are more likely than women to be victims of fraud, and criminals hit Gen X the most.

Last week we mentioned common scams in East Texas. But new ones pop up every day. Here's some of the common signs to look for so you'll be prepared.

Never give out your personal information over the phone.

If you've received text messages, calls, or any other messages similar to these, they are frauds.

Everyday in East Texas, there are numerous scamming attempts.  Just a daily look at area police reports will bear that out.  There always seems to be someone reporting that their financial information was compromised or that someone tried to get secure information through a phone call.

Police don't know how they got them all, but two women from Texas are in big trouble for having hundreds of retail and gift cards that had been stolen from other customers.  The good news is, in a month or two it's going to be a lot harder for thieves to get use stolen card info.

If you have ever seen the movie "A Few Good Men" starring Tom Cruise, especially the scene where he spews the phrase "...the gallactically stupid..." (by the way, is "gallactically" a real word?), then when you get through reading this, you will come to realize what I'm talking about.