Harris County Precinct One Constable Alan Rosen is warning the public to be vigilant against scams following the recent flooding in the Texas Hill Country.
Constable Rosen said that scammers are taking advantage of the tragedy, including a case where someone impersonated the father of Houston flood victim Chloe Childress and set up a fake GoFundMe page. Precinct One detectives quickly contacted GoFundMe, and the fraudulent fundraiser was shut down within minutes.
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“These families are all enduring the saddest tragedies of their lives, and to do this is just soulless,” Rosen said. “We are not going to tolerate these imposters harming families and exploiting the goodwill of our community.”
Detectives are investigating the incident for possible charges including forgery and online impersonation. The fake fundraiser had received about $1,500 in donations before it was taken down. Investigators are also looking into whether one of the donors may have been involved in the scam to make the fundraiser appear legitimate.
Constable Rosen encourages the public to be cautious and to consult GoFundMe’s safety tips to avoid falling victim to fraudulent campaigns.
More information on how to spot and report scams can be found at .
“One of our community’s greatest hallmarks is our ability to come together to help in time of need,” Rosen said. “We want folks to be careful and avoid being scammed.”
