As holiday shopping accelerates across North Texas, so do attempts by scammers to prey on seniors, online shoppers, and anyone distracted by the rush of the season. That message was at the center of a community workshop held Friday, where Chase Bank and the Dallas Police Department sat down with South Dallas elders to break down how modern scams work — and why so many people, including financial professionals, still fall for them.
The session, held at a local Chase branch, was part educational, part intervention. Fraud cases in Texas surpassed $920 million in reported losses last year, and experts say the true number is likely much higher because many victims feel too embarrassed to speak up.
Chase community banker Omar Monsivais, who led much of the discussion, began by asking seniors how they personally define fraud.
“Fraud is criminal deception meant to take your money or your identity,” he explained after attendees offered their definitions. “Scams are just another form of that — a trick designed to cheat you out of something, usually money.”
He added that scams don’t discriminate.
“I get scam attempts all the time — and I work at a bank,” he admitted. “Young, older, rich, poor… it doesn’t matter. We’re all vulnerable.”
A Surge in Cases — and Many Victims Staying Silent
During the workshop, Omar walked attendees through national and statewide statistics. Reported losses from scams hit more than $12.5 billion in 2024, and complaints to federal agencies increased by 88% over the last three years.
“And that’s only what’s reported,” he emphasized. “Think of all the people who never tell anyone because they feel ashamed. That means the problem is even worse.”
The most common scam type last year? Phishing — fake texts, emails, or calls impersonating legitimate institutions like banks, delivery companies, or government agencies.
“They Are Targeting You” — Dallas Police Sound the Alarm
Dallas Police officers at the event told residents that scammers today operate with frightening precision.
Using public records, social media, and leaked data, criminals can now craft messages that appear completely legitimate — right down to your correct address, relatives’ names, and account details.
“Understand this — they are targeting you,” one DPD officer said. “They know you’re law-abiding, they know you don’t want trouble, and they use that fear to pressure you.”
The officer reminded the room that no law enforcement agency calls people about warrants or asks for money over the phone.
Even the Experts Almost Get Scammed
One of the most eye-opening moments came when Monique Winfree, Vice President, Fort Worth Community Manager, shared a personal story. Despite teaching anti-fraud workshops nationwide, she said she recently came close to being fooled by a caller claiming she had missed jury duty.
“He had the real address for the sheriff’s office,” she recounted. “He told me to stay on the phone so I wouldn’t get pulled over. And for a moment, I believed him.”
The caller told her she needed to pay $1,000 to avoid arrest, or at least $500 at a kiosk.
“I was actually at a Chase ATM about to withdraw the money,” she admitted. “Then he said I could pay it at a Walmart kiosk, and that’s when it hit me — this is a scam.”
She hung up, but her point was blunt:
“This isn’t an ‘elder scam.’ This is a whoever-answers-the-phone scam. If I can almost fall for it, anyone can.”
She also described a second incident involving her husband, who paid a fake North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) bill after scammers spoofed the agency’s website — logo, colors, layout and all.
Organization Is a Defense Strategy
Omar urged seniors to protect themselves by starting with something simple: get organized.
“If your documents are all over the house — kitchen drawer, back room, on the table — you won’t notice when something’s missing,” he said.
Important paperwork such as bank statements, insurance policies, wills, and identification cards should be kept in one secure place. Regular check-ins help people spot unusual mail or missing documents that could signal identity theft.
On passwords, Omar warned that writing them down in obvious places — like taping them to a phone case or leaving them near a computer — is a major risk.
“If you absolutely must write them down, hide them somewhere only you know,” he said. “Not in your phone case, not in your purse.”
He encouraged attendees to change their passwords at least yearly and avoid simple combinations (“password123,” “1111,” birthdays, etc.).
Holiday Delivery Scams on the Rise
Seniors at the workshop said they’re inundated with text messages about supposed package delays. Omar confirmed those texts are among the most widespread scams during the holiday season.
He shared a story about his own daughter, who bought a sweatshirt from an Instagram ad. When she received a text about a “delayed delivery,” she clicked the link and entered personal information.
“She got hit from both sides,” he said. “First the fake online store, then the fake delivery text. If she hadn’t told me, they could have emptied her account.”
They immediately locked her card and contacted the bank, preventing any fraudulent transactions.
Why the Holiday Season Is Prime Time for Criminals
Scammers, the instructors emphasized, ramp up aggressively in November and December.
People are traveling, buying gifts, clicking ads, sending Zelle payments, and rushing through crowded inboxes — and scammers exploit that vulnerability.
They also advised residents to avoid sending money via Zelle, wire transfer, or Bitcoin to unknown people. Credit and debit cards offer purchase protection; these other methods do not.
Community Tools and Resources
The session ended with reminders:
- Never click unsolicited links.
- Verify all calls by hanging up and calling the official agency number.
- Build a relationship with your banker — so you have someone to check suspicious activity with.
- Report scams to Dallas Police even if you didn’t lose money.
- Use bank alerts to monitor unusual account behavior.
For additional resources, Chase encouraged residents to visit chase.com/scamspotting, available in both English and Spanish.
The workshop closed with a round of questions, laughter, and shared relief among attendees who said they felt more confident heading into the holiday season — and less likely to fall for tricks designed to exploit their trust.
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