A Hardin County man was convinced by callers claiming to be bank staff and federal agents to reveal passwords and PINs and hand over multiple debit cards. Police recovered several cards and thousands of dollars during an August 5 traffic stop and arrested 23-year-old Bradly Louis of Fort Lauderdale. Louis faces state charges in Hardin County and is also wanted on an unrelated Broward County warrant; the investigation remains active. Authorities and the FTC urge customers never to share passwords or verification codes and to contact banks directly.
Phone Scam Escalates to Porch Pickup: Hardin County Man Loses Cards, Thousands Recovered; Arrest Made
Image Credit: Hardin County Sheriff's Office.
Summary: A Hardin County, Texas, resident was duped by callers who first posed as bank representatives and later impersonated federal agents, prompting the victim to reveal passwords and PINs and hand over debit cards to a visitor. Authorities recovered several cards and thousands of dollars in a vehicle stop and arrested a suspect from Florida as the investigation continues.
The Hardin County Sheriff's Office began investigating a reported fraud on August 4 after a Lumberton-area resident received multiple convincing phone calls from people claiming to represent the victim's bank. The callers told the victim that suspicious activity had been detected on the accounts and then escalated the ruse by posing as federal law enforcement officers, saying bank employees were under investigation.
Believing the callers, the resident disclosed account passwords and PINs and was instructed to gather several debit cards, place them in a package and hand it to someone who would come to the home to collect them. Deputies immediately began tracking the pickup and movement of the package.
In the early morning hours of August 5, Lumberton police stopped a vehicle and found multiple debit cards belonging to the Hardin County victim, thousands of dollars in cash and additional items investigators linked to the fraud. The probe led to the arrest of 23-year-old Bradly Louis of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Louis was charged in Hardin County with fraudulent use or possession of identifying information and failure to identify. Bonds on the two local charges total $12,000. Authorities also said Louis is wanted on a separate, unrelated Broward County, Florida, felony hit-and-run with injury warrant that carries no bond.
Investigators warned the case remains active and additional arrests or charges are possible as they work to identify others who may have participated.
How the Scam Worked
This case mirrors a scheme the FBI has warned about: impersonators contact bank customers about alleged suspicious transactions, then arrange for an accomplice to visit the victim’s home and collect a bank card. In several recent iterations, scammers use personal details to make the calls more convincing and then pressure victims into divulging passwords, PINs and verification codes.
What To Do If You Get a Fraud Call
- Hang up immediately. Do not follow instructions from an unsolicited caller.
- Contact your bank directly using the official mobile app, the number on the back of your card, or a recent statement—not any number or link provided by the caller.
- Never share account passwords, PINs, verification codes or full account numbers with callers.
- If you already disclosed credentials, contact your bank at once, change passwords and request new cards. Report any unauthorized withdrawals or transfers so the bank can attempt to stop or reverse them.
- Consider reporting the incident to the Federal Trade Commission and your local law enforcement agency.
Authorities: The Hardin County case remains under active investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Hardin County Sheriff's Office or Lumberton Police Department.
Help us improve.
