The DFW-specific scam evaluation checklist. Run any suspicious situation through this framework.
THE CHECKLIST:
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Urgency. Are they pressuring you to act NOW? Legitimate businesses give you time to decide. Scammers create artificial deadlines.
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Payment method. Are they asking for gift cards, wire transfer, Zelle, or crypto? These are non-reversible payment methods. That's the point.
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Contact method. Did they contact you first? Unsolicited calls, texts, DMs, or door knocks are high-risk.
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Too good to be true. Apartment $600/month below market? Job paying $80/hour for data entry? iPhone 15 for $200 on Marketplace? If the deal seems impossible, it is.
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Verification. Can you independently verify who they are? Google the company. Call the company's official number (not the one they gave you). Check TDLR, SOS, BBB.
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Information request. Are they asking for SSN, bank account, or credit card number? Legitimate businesses rarely ask for this over phone/text.
DFW-specific scams circulating right now (Q1 2026):
- Fake TxTag toll notices via text
- "Dallas Water Utilities" shutoff threats by phone
- Fake HOA fine letters with a QR code payment link
- Facebook Marketplace vehicle sales with "title in another state"
- Fake OfferUp buyers sending counterfeit cashier's checks
When in doubt:
- Google "[company name] + scam"
- Check FTC scam alerts: consumer.ftc.gov/scam-alerts
- Call Texas AG consumer protection: 800-621-0508
RECEIPTS REQUIRED: If reporting a scam, include screenshots, phone numbers, email addresses, website URLs. The more detail you provide, the more people you protect.
Sources:
- FTC — Scam Alert database (consumer.ftc.gov)
- Texas AG Consumer Protection Division
- BBB Scam Tracker (bbb.org/scamtracker)
When in doubt, slow down. No legitimate opportunity evaporates if you take 24 hours to think about it.