Texas Named One of America’s Biggest Fraud Hotspots, New Study Finds

Fraud is a problem everywhere, but people in some areas are more prone to falling victim to it than others. According to a recent study, Texans are among those who are most susceptible to it. 

For my money, scammers are among the worst of the worst. While they prey on everyone, they love to target the elderly and lower-income individuals, which makes a less-than-ideal financial situation that much worse. Frankly, it’s sickening.

Get our free mobile app

READ NEXT: Texas Roads Ranked Among Deadliest in U.S. on New Year's Eve

Many Scammers Operate Outside the United States 

The worst part is that in many cases, the scammers aren’t located in the United States, which makes them immune to our judicial system. Sure, you can report them to the authorities in their home country, but good luck ever getting your money back. 

That’s why I figured I would pass along the results of a study by moneyradar.org. Researchers found Texas to be one of the fraud capitals in the United States, with the sixth-highest rate of fraud in the country. 

The website Scam Spotter shared three easy tips to keep yourself from falling victim to scammers: 

1. Create a code word with family and friends in case a scammer attempts to impersonate someone you’re close to. 
2. Investigate before engaging the scammers by contacting the organization via official channels to verify authenticity.
3. Keep an eye out for strange requests. Legitimate organizations won’t ask for payment via gift cards, wire transfers, money transfer apps, or cryptocurrency. 

Unfortunately, scammers are never going to go away. All we can do is stay vigilant and spread the word to keep ourselves and others safe from falling victim to them.