Robert Richardson Deed Fraud and Seller Impersonation: The Scam Hitting East Texas Property Owners Scammers are impersonating property owners to sell homes and land out from under them, sometimes without the real owner ever knowing until it's too late. Here's how the scam works, the warning signs to watch for, and a free tool Smith County offers to help catch it early. Aug 13, 2026
Robert Richardson How to freeze your credit with all three credit burows and why you might want to do so. A breach at a Texas hearing aid provider exposed 29,000 people's Social Security numbers, and a separate vendor breach hit 3 million Texans. Here's exactly how to freeze your credit at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, for free. Jul 27, 2026
Robert Richardson Smith County talking about doing away with BitCoin ATMs (and why we think thats a good thing) Sheriff Larry Smith is pushing Texas lawmakers to ban Bitcoin ATMs after a local scam cost an elderly woman $13,000. Here's how the scam works, why Texas leads the nation in losses, and what to watch for. Jul 27, 2026
Robert Richardson Hard drive scams across Amazon and other online third party retailers Counterfeit storage drives are flooding online marketplaces, and some even ship straight from Amazon's own warehouse. Here is how to spot a fake before it costs you your family photos. Jul 22, 2026
Robert Richardson How to Repair Missing or Corrupted Windows System Files If your computer has started freezing, crashing, or throwing strange error messages, Windows has a free built in tool that can find and repair damaged system files on its own. Here is exactly how to run it. Jul 22, 2026
Robert Richardson Nextdoor AI scams? A Tyler reader wrote in wondering why Nextdoor sales have turned into a minefield of fake out-of-state offers. It is a real, documented scam pattern, and once you know the script, it is easy to spot and easy to stop. Jul 21, 2026
Robert Richardson Card Skimmers Found in Smith County! What They Are and How to Spot Them Five people were arrested in Smith County in June 2026 for running a card skimming operation on gas pumps. Before you swipe at the pump again, here are five quick checks that can save you from losing hundreds of dollars to card fraud. Jul 16, 2026
Robert Richardson 5 new scams you and your family need to be aware of (and how to prevent them) Scammers have new tools and they are using them on families in East Texas. From AI that can clone your grandchild's voice to fake QR codes in parking lots, here are 5 new scams you need to know about, and exactly what to do if one hits your phone. Jul 15, 2026
Robert Richardson The Widow Scam Stealing Thousands from Seniors in East Texas Romance scams targeting recently widowed seniors cost Americans over $929 million in 2025. Right here in East Texas, federal courts have documented over $26 million stolen from hundreds of victims. Here is how the widow scam works, the five red flags to recognize it, and exactly what to do if you or your family has been targeted. Jul 14, 2026
Robert Richardson SIM Swap and Port-Out Scams: How Criminals Steal Your Phone Number and What to Do About It SIM swap and port-out scams let criminals steal your phone number and use it to break into your bank account, email, and more. Here is a plain-English explanation of how these scams work, the warning signs to watch for, and the steps you can take to protect yourself. Jul 14, 2026
Robert Richardson Why Scammers Always Ask for Gift Cards (And How to Spot This Trick) If someone calls asking you to pay with gift cards, it is always a scam. No exceptions. Here is why scammers love gift cards, what actually happens to your money after you share the code, and the five most common gift card scams targeting seniors in East Texas. Jul 14, 2026
Robert Richardson How to force Windows 10 to upgrade to windows 11 (and when you should not do so) Windows 10 stopped getting security updates in October 2025. There is a real command-line trick to force an upgrade to Windows 11 even on computers that do not officially qualify. Here is how to tell if your computer can handle it safely, and when to leave it alone. Jul 12, 2026
