Russell Leahy, a high school history teacher in Fort Worth, thought he was finally building the financial future he\u2019d always dreamed of.<\/p>\n
He and his wife had just bought their first home, carefully budgeting every dollar. The 28-year-old had managed to save over $30,000, tucking away savings for emergencies and a life ahead. <\/p>\n
But in April, everything unraveled in a matter of days: Leahy\u2019s account was wiped out by a sophisticated scam that left the couple with nothing but heartbreak and questions.<\/p>\n
Leahy\u2019s ordeal is far from unique. According to the FBI\u2019s 2024 Internet Crime Report, Texas ranks second in the nation for internet crime complaints and financial losses, with Texans reporting $1.35 billion in losses last year alone \u2014 a $328 million increase from the previous year. <\/p>\n
Breaking News<\/p>\n
![\"Russell](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/UHDUHEHBBVEOLJBF55SWSI73QY.jpg\")
Russell Leahy shows a screenshot of the digital debit cards a scammer was able to attain using his information at his home, Friday, June 20, 2025, in Fort Worth. Leahy was scammed out of more than 30,000 dollars by someone impersonating people from Chase Bank.(El\u00edas Valverde II \/ Staff Photographer)<\/p>\n
The report detailed 859,532 complaints, 256,256 representing actual financial losses, leading to an average loss of $19,372 per complaint. Among various types of cyber threats, ransomware \u2014 a kind of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid \u2014 remained the most prominent, increasing by 9% compared to 2023.<\/p>\n
Banking scam <\/p>\n
Leahy\u2019s nightmare began with a phone call that seemed legitimate in every way. The callers knew his bank balances, spoofed Chase Bank\u2019s real phone numbers, and even used the same recorded greetings as actual bank employees.<\/p>\n
Convinced he was helping stop a fraud, Leahy followed their instructions to withdraw his money at an ATM to prevent the alleged danger his money was in, believing he was protecting his family\u2019s savings.<\/p>\n
Related:\u2018Pause. Think. Don\u2019t click.\u2019 Here is what you need to know to avoid scams<\/a><\/p>\n Instead, over $32,000 vanished \u2014 his life savings and most recent paycheck gone in an instant.<\/p>\n Leahy\u2019s story is echoed in thousands of complaints across Texas that are filed each year to the FBI\u2019s Internet Complaint Center.<\/p>\n People aged 60 and older suffered the most significant financial losses, according to the FBI. Still, those in their 40s filed the most complaints and experienced the third-highest financial loss at $155 million.<\/p>\n \u201cI did everything right. I filled a police report, provided screenshots, IRS documentation, ATM receipts \u2014 even Chase\u2019s bank warning email describing the exact scam <\/a>I experienced,\u201d Leahy said.<\/p>\n Bill Clanton, Leahy\u2019s lawyer, explained that his case is all too familiar. Every day, criminals become sophisticated in defrauding and scamming victims, and there is still much work to be done in helping people who face this problem, he said. <\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a fine line there, whether that is a scam or it\u2019s fraud, and it depends on how you use those words,\u201d Clanton said. \u201cDon\u2019t give up, keep trying, because these banks have a lot of problems and the scammers are exploiting them.\u201d <\/p>\n In a statement to The Dallas Morning News, Chase Bank called these types of scams \u201cheartbreaking.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cWe urge all consumers to ignore phone, text, or internet requests for money or access to their computer or bank accounts,\u201d said Greg Hassell, a spokesperson with Chase Bank. \u201cBanks and legitimate companies won\u2019t make these requests, but scammers will.\u201d<\/p>\n Hassell said fraud involves someone illegally accessing someone else\u2019s account and making withdrawals, transfers or purchases without the account holder\u2019s permission. A scam is a deceptive scheme or trick used to cheat someone out of their money or other valuable assets. <\/p>\n Protecting yourself against scams<\/p>\n The top three cybercrimes<\/a> in Texas, based on the number of complaints in 2024, were extortion, personal data breaches and phishing, which is when scammers send fake messages pretending to be trusted companies to steal personal information, according to the Federal Trade Commission. <\/p>\n In 2024, the FBI launched Operation Level Up to combat cryptocurrency investment fraud, a type of scam that tricks individuals into investing in fake cryptocurrency projects. <\/p>\n The operation informed 4,323 victims about their scams, with 76% previously unaware they had been defrauded.<\/p>\n It saved victims an estimated $285 million and provided interventions, including referrals to specialists for those in need of support, according to the report.<\/p>\n The FBI also targeted organized crime and cyber fraud, conducting raids on scam call centers with international partners, resulting in over 215 arrests and more than 60 actionable leads shared with law enforcement in India.<\/p>\n Additionally, the FBI froze $561.6 million linked to unauthorized transactions.<\/p>\n To avoid falling for investment fraud, the FTC advises <\/a>never putting money into an investment based only on what someone else claims or what an online newsletter says. <\/p>\n A way to prevent scams via email is to never click on any links or attachments in suspicious emails, according to the FTC\u2019s Consumer Advice. <\/a><\/p>\n Scam emails often appear genuine but may include urgent or unusual requests, unusual email addresses or suspicious links.<\/p>\n A way to prevent tech support scams is by never downloading or clicking on a link provided in unsolicited text messages, not contacting telephone numbers provided, and never sending cash via mail or shipping companies until it is possible to verify who is behind the request, according to the FTC. <\/a><\/p>\n The FBI and the FTC advise consumers to be wary of unsolicited communications, avoid clicking on suspicious links and never share sensitive information over the phone or via email. <\/p>\n Authorities encourage people who believe they have been victims of internet crime to file a complaint at Ic3.gov<\/a> and contact local enforcement. <\/p>\n![\"Russell](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/RVIWHDORAFCUXGODZ7ABUJR7PI.jpg\")
Russell Leahy shows a screenshot after a scammer accessed his personal bank account at his home, Friday, June 20, 2025, in Fort Worth. Leahy was scammed out of more than 30,000 dollars by someone impersonating people from Chase Bank.(El\u00edas Valverde II \/ Staff Photographer)<\/p>\n![\"Russell](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/VM3PGPN7AFFGTKJJQBLLW5VAK4.jpg\")
Russell Leahy shows a text message from a scammer impersonating representatives from Chase pictured at his home, Friday, June 20, 2025, in Fort Worth. Leahy was scammed out of more than $30,000 by someone impersonating staff from Chase.(El\u00edas Valverde II \/ Staff Photographer)<\/p>\n