Deaf Scam Alert
DARS Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services has received information indicating that an online scam, using the name of the Texas Commission for the Deaf could be a threat to the deaf community in Texas and nationally. As reported, a person was informed by email of winning “Hot Ball:15,” an alleged Texas Lottery Commission lottery game and would receive a cash prize of $250,000. The hitch is that the “winner” must send in a check for $450 to receive a check for the cash prize.
Another scam also reported involves a phone call from a man named Wayne Doublas with the Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, who claims that the Office is awarding a prize of $100,000 to person who volunteers their time for the benefit of the deaf community, and the person contacted had been selected as the winner of the prize. The “winner” was asked to give their full name, address, bank routing and account numbers, and social security number, claiming that this information was needed to wire the money and for tax purposes. No person by the name of Wayne Doublas works at the Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services and is unknown to us.
As with any scam, do not give out your personal information, do not click on links included in emails from senders you don’t know, and do not agree to wire any money to an individual you do not personally know. Please report suspected scams to the Texas Attorney General’s Office.