After Bradley County Sheriff Eric Watson was the victim of fraud, he issued the following advisory to the public:
"On any given day, the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office receives one or more reports of hacked websites and criminal activity that can lead to identity theft. Recently, this fraudulent activity hit close to home. Over a period of time, my personal Facebook page was hacked, and a BCSO credit card was also accessed by unauthorized persons. Also, my name and personal information was used in an emergency room in another nearby town for medical treatment. Needless to say, these were highly-experienced hackers, as none of these accounts were easily accessed.
"If you become an unfortunate victim of identity theft, whether it costs you money or not, you can rest assured your sheriff has dealt with much of the same. Your Bradley County Sheriff’s Office has dealt with criminal activity where the names of actual deputies have been used in a telephone scam that demanded payment to avoid receiving an arrest warrant for failure to pay a fine or appear in court. I hope that we’ve made it clear your BCSO doesn’t do such business by phone. We DO serve warrants, yet not via telephone.
"One more type of criminal activity has become known across the country and in our area is mortgage fraud. As a matter of fact, mortgage fraud has become one of the fastest growing financial crimes in the country following the 2008 financial crisis. It is a multibillion-dollar-a-year problem that has an impact on American homeowners across the socioeconomic spectrum. It creates a painful cycle in our communities where fraud can lead to foreclosed homes, abandoned lots, or vacant property. Vacant property invites criminal elements – threatening the safety of a community.
"New laws and regulations such as the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009, which implemented tighter procedures for professionals involved in all aspects of mortgage transactions, were put in place to combat mortgage fraud. These changes are helpful, but new fraud schemes continue to emerge.
"New schemes target distressed homeowners. Scammers reach out to homeowners who are at risk of losing their homes and offer to help with a loan modification or by promising to save the homeowner from foreclosure. These “con games” give the impression that dealing with your mortgage problem is as easy as a phone call or e-mail.
"In reality, the best route to take is to ignore the 'easy way out, which usually leads to more grief for the family…and never leads to a satisfactory solution. If your lender is a local bank or a nationally owned, legitimate mortgage representative, seek to work out any problems through that organization.
"As you can see, there is no limit on who can be a victim of Identity Theft. If one of these people contacts you or a family member, just remember, don’t trust them! Your Bradley County Sheriff’s Office is here to serve you always."