Scam Suspect Arrested

LONGVIEW — Longview police arrest a scam suspect. 37-year-old Sam Stanley of Texarkana was taken into custody Friday on a 3rd degree felony theft charge and transported to the Gregg County Jail. Earlier, police had advised that warmer weather brings out the scam artists, saying they’d received reports of a driveway scam in the area. Police say a citizen called to report being scammed out of a significant amount of money by two men who said they could resurface the citizen’s driveway. However, after the citizen paid the men (more than originally agreed upon because the citizen reportedly felt intimidated), the men left. However, the next day the mixture used for the patch work had already washed out of the cracks of the victim’s driveway.

Unfortunately, police say, these scam artists prey on unsuspecting citizens. Authorities say the best rule to follow is to not allow anyone, no matter how sad that person’s story is, to do repair work, lawn care, or other services, unsolicited. LPD reminds citizens to contact a reputable company if they need repair work or other services performed. Police ask that this message be sent on to those who may not have access to social media, especially the elderly. If you see this type of work being performed or you have been victimized by a scam artist you are encouraged to contact your local police to make them aware this same type of activity may be going on in your area.