KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana |Internet Scam Costs Family

Internet Scam Costs Family

REPORTER:  Jeff Ferrell
     A 'con man' used the generosity of an Ark-La-Tex family to steal three thousand dollars from them just days before Christmas.
     The Ray family owns a dog kennel in Minden.  A man calling himself a father contacted them, trying to buy a dog for his sonand have it rushed to New York by Christmas Day.  The family got two checks in the mail totalling 3-thousand dollars.  The 'father' told them to keep 500-dollars for the dog and send the rest back to him as fast as possible.  They did, only to find out the checks were bad.  Now they owe the bank 3-thousand dollars.
     Jeff and Tara Ray's 14-year old daughter Lauren fought back the tears while telling us, "I just can't believe it.  How can people be so cruel and I just can't...", as she stopped and hugged her father.  Ray's parents told us they were just as stunned that their good deed, a rush sale of a dog to a supposed father who saw the Ray's web site and just had to buy it for his son.
     Tara Ray confided, "I thought it was legit, I thought because I trusted him.  I'm a good person, you know.  I'll trust you until you double-cross me."  And Ray became suspicious and stopped cooperating when the father said he would be sending two more checks to cash after she had just cashed the first two.
     Despite the potential embarrassment, the Ray family stepped forward for one reason:  They wanted to make sure that others find protection after what got them.
     The Ray family is now working with a detective in their case.  But he's reportedly told them the grim odds they face based on the number of previous cases.  Jeff Ray recalled, "they said they got a stack this tall," raising his hand to his shoulder.  They will soon meet with officials from their bank, Minden Building & Loan, about the situation.