Fort Bend County Officials Warn of a Rise in Alarming Telephone Scams
- ncookclark
- Aug 26
- 3 min read
KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
August 26, 2025
By Natalie Cook Clark
The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office reports a drastic increase in scams that are affecting innocent citizens in the Katy area. The latest involved demands for payment to avoid arrest for a fake warrant.
According to the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office (FBCSO,) several residents have reported unsolicited telephone calls persuading them to make an immediate payment to avoid an arrest. Large amounts of money were remitted via a payment app that is irrevocable.
"We have seen a growing number of scams targeting our community, and we urge everyone to stay alert — if something feels off, it probably is," says Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan. “Protect yourself by staying informed and always double-check before giving out personal information."
Scammers consistently impersonate authority or trusted figures, such as a government official or family member. In the recent reports, a legitimate FBCSO employee name was mentioned by the scammer to create a fake emergency and sense of urgency. The scammer mentioned the warrant was issued for a failure of the citizen to appear for a federal jury summons. To avoid the arrest, the citizen was directed to pay via Paypal.
Employees of the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, including warrant officers, do not call to collect warrant fees or to collect money for any type of state or federal jury summons. Employees do not conduct authorized business through wire transfers, payment apps such as PayPal, cryptocurrency, or gift cards.
To prevent being victimized by a scammer:
Be cautious with unexpected calls from persons who create a sense of urgency and persuade you to send money to get out of a dilemma, help a family member, or even show willingness to invest money to get a prize or a grant.
Scammers attempt to obtain your financial information, such as bank account details, social security number, driver’s license, or other personally identifiable information and will pretend to be an authority figure or trusted family member in distress.
Scammers prey on a person’s willingness to help others or to stay out of trouble.
Scammers also exploit your personally identifiable information to commit identity theft, and obtain credit in your name, including loans, grants, and bank cards.
If a caller or recording such as an AI voice asks questions (Yes/No), uses high-pressure tactics, or makes you feel rushed, it is likely a scammer.
Some scammers also “spoof” legitimate numbers. Be skeptical and don’t trust caller ID completely. Be wary of urgency or callers who create a sense of immediate danger.
Do not give out information and hang up if you suspect the call is a scam.
Money sent via PayPal, gift card, cryptocurrency, or payment app is not recoverable. This type of transaction is irreversible.
Scammers Research to Make Calls Sound Legitimate
This isn’t a new scam, but one that comes and goes and greatly alarms and impacts residents. A few years ago, Katy resident Maria Drews got a call from what sounded like a legitimate caller.
“I was a little nervous that it was a legitimate call,” says Maria Drews. “The guy knew that I was a physical therapist and had told me that I didn’t show up to testify in court.”
The caller claimed he had records showing that someone from her house signed for and accepted information on the court case. The Drews had a lot going on at the time, so she was worried that she had signed and forgotten.
“I called a friend whose husband is a cop, he assured me that it was scam,” says Drews.
The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office says that these scammers do sound legitimate because they have your information: full name, address, and possibly other personal information. They use the FBCSO address (1840 Richmond Parkway, Richmond, TX) as well as FBCSO employee names to further validate the scam.
Again, they stress that the Sheriff’s Office DOES NOT call anyone requesting money or payment of any kind, for any reason.
Take measures to stay safe from these criminals and educate those you care about against these scams.
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