Scams are nothing new in Acadiana, but one thing that is new for our area, according to the Chief Operating Officer of the Better Business Bureau of Acadiana, is sextortion attempts.

Babin says that a new trend that has been reported to them via their Scam Tracker is attempts made to get people to send racy photos so that the recipient then can blackmail you.

Phone Scam
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Here is how the ruse that was attempted on a Lafayette woman worked:

Babin says the woman received a text message from someone, allegedly in the 337 area code, saying how nice it was to meet her. She didn't recognize the number, but she did inquire as to who was contacting her. It became immediately apparent that this person was not someone she knew. This person sent inappropriate pictures to her and requested the same in return, and she blocked this person.

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He adds that while this woman knew exactly what to do. He says with other cases in other areas some people thought they "knew" the person contacting them. They sent racy photos only to have the scammer come back and try to blackmail them. They demand money or they will release the photos.

If anything like this happens to you it is imperative to report these types of things to law enforcement. Babin adds you can also add your report to their Scam Tracker reporting feature on their website. When you report any type of scam or attempted scam anyone in Acadiana can see the types of crimes that scammers are currently using to get money or steal your identity.

Knowledge really is power, and with Scam Tracker using crowdsourcing, it helps the next person know what is being tried in our area.

Romance scams are nothing new, and those scams continue as well. Someone may contact you via a social media platform. You may chat back and forth then begin with texting. Eventually, with the ruse, the scammer will tell you they are in love with you. As the scam progresses they will ask for money or gift cards when all these "calamities" start happening to them.

Your best bet is not to fall for any type of romance via social media. You have to be extremely careful with the people you are communicating with online. Predators can be very convincing when it comes to getting you to do what they wish.

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