Scammers: City of McAllen sounds alarm

In light of the historic flood that hit the RGV two weeks ago this Thursday, 20 inches plus in some areas, the City of McAllen sent out a public notice recently, warning about scammers who are trying to take advantage of the situation.

Obviously, this warning covers most of south Texas.

If these people are caught, convicted, would the death penalty be over the top?

Okay, probably, but come on, who goes around ripping off people in the midst of devastation and loss of property?

Apparently, quite a few. Sad part is, the most vulnerable are often the people who can afford it least — seniors on a fixed income or with limited resources.

I saw it in my fatherin- law, an engineer who worked his entire career at TxDOT, who could never have been cheated by a scam artist in his prime.

Yet, while trying to care for a wife already suffering from dementia, and after two strokes and a broken hip, way past the point of being stressed out, he was ripe for the taking.

It was some phony deal that had him so scared, and this was via a phone call, that by the time my wife and I caught up with him, he was ready to drive to the bank and withdraw money to pay for whatever con the scam artists were playing.

I think it was someone pretending to be with some government agency, claiming he owed the feds money.

My father-in-law represented the people who can still live on their own, but their cognition still isn’t what it once was. Hence, the easier prey made available to the heartless who run these scams.

Dealing with older parents in failing health, either physical or neurological, is anything but easy because, well, they’re still your parents, and they don’t want to be told what to do by someone who they still consider their child.

When the child becomes the parent, and vice versa, that’s a difficult course to navigate.

Then comes the point, in many cases, when mom or dad can no longer drive safely, and it’s your job to convince them to give up the car keys.

As if the aging process isn’t hard enough for everyone involved, the public also has to worry about scammers.

Oh, well, hopefully it really is true — you reap what you sow.

From the City of McAllen’s public post:

In the wake of recent storm recovery efforts, the City of McAllen urges residents to be cautious of unscrupulous individuals and fraudulent contractors seeking to exploit those in need of repair services.

The City of McAllen does not contract with private businesses for storm-related home repairs, nor does it request sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers or death certificates in connection with any repair services. Residents should verify the legitimacy of any contractor before agreeing to services or providing personal information.

How to avoid post-disaster fraud:

Verify credentials — Ask for official identification and confirm the business is licensed through the McAllen Building & Inspections Department at (956) 681-1300.

Be wary of requests for personal information — Legitimate contractors will not ask for Social Security numbers, banking details, or other personal documents to provide an estimate or initiate services.

Avoid upfront payments –Reputable contractors provide written estimates and structured payment plans.

Report suspicious activity to the McAllen Police Department at (956) 681-2000 immediately.

Scammers often take advantage of post-disaster chaos, targeting vulnerable residents who are desperate to restore their homes.

For more information on safe rebuilding practices, please contact the McAllen Building & Inspections Department at (956) 681-1300 or visit www.mcallen.net.