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January 3, 1996
Sheriff alerts citizens to dangers of con artists
Caddo Parish Sheriff Don Hathaway said today the beginning of a new year "often triggers numerous con games and ruses designed to take advantage of unsuspecting people."
Anyone can be a victim, the Sheriff continued, "even a person who considers himself too intelligent or worldly to be conned."
Victims of fraud are often, but not always, older, female and live alone. Loneliness, willingness to help and a sense of charity are characteristics a con artist will exploit to gain a victim's cooperation.
"A con artist's objective is to exploit his victim's assets," Sheriff Hathaway said. "And, he'll usually obtain the unsuspecting cooperation of his victim to do so."
The most common con games are home improvements and repairs, debt consolidation, investments, postal fraud, contracts and medical quackery. The Sheriff offered some tips to help arm citizens against con artists:
Because con artists are difficult to detect by looks alone, key words and expressions often used by them can act as warning signals. Some of them are: cash only, today only, haste, contests, get rich quick, secret or confidential plans and last chance.
These and other tips and cautions are covered in presentations made to community organizations by Caddo Parish sheriff's deputies. Senior Citizens Officer Doris Swift discusses fraud and con games frequently with senior citizens groups. Manson also works individually with seniors who have been victimized or believe they've been approached by a con artist. He may be contacted at the Sheriff's Office by calling 226-6794. Other community organizations wanting to learn more about the dangers of con artists may arrange a program by calling Millicent Montgomery at 226-6678.
"To safeguard against con artists and their schemes," Sheriff Hathaway concluded, "citizens should remember the adage, 'If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.'"