NEWS
FCIC warns of fraud scheme
Criminals are using WhatsApp to solicit investors in a fraud scheme – and then using the name of the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center (FCIC) and its director to claim that the victims are participating in money laundering and must pay a fine to get out of trouble.
Verified cases have been reported in the Austin and San Marcos areas, but the extent is unknown at this time.
Consumers should know that the FCIC never collects fines, and rarely interacts with members of the general public. In fact, law enforcement in general will never solicit any type of payment in lieu of arrest. Any correspondence asking for payment is likely to be fraudulent and citizens are cautioned to never send money if receiving similar correspondence.
Anyone who is contacted by these scammers should not interact with them. Potential victims should keep any communications they received and should report the incident to local law enforcement. Local law enforcement should then contact the FCIC for further direction.
The FCIC, located in Tyler, Texas, is staffed by law enforcement officers and intelligence analysts with extensive experience investigating organized financial crimes, including credit card skimming and shimming that attack fuel dispensers, ATMs, and point of sale terminals, as well as many other types of financial crimes.
The Smith County District Attorney’s office runs day-to-day operations at the FCIC, while the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation reimburses Smith County for operating expenses related to the Center. Visit the FCIC’s website for more information and resources.
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The Bowie City Council will meet at 6 p.m. on June 23.
The agenda includes both old and new business items.
City Manager Bert Cunningham will make his report on the 2026-27 budget process, bid opening for the Glenn Hills lift station on July 16 and the bid for Rock and Pillar repairs.
In new business a pair of planning and zoning committee recommendations for replats at 107 E. Nelson and 412 Green will be reviewed. An ordinance adopting an office of emergency management amending a present ordinance will be offered.
Old business will see the second reading of the pickleball court reservation fee ordinance and the ordinance prohibiting drilling and mining or the reopening of an abandoned well or mine in any public park in the city limits.
A HEAT ADVISORY will be in effect from noon until 9 p.m. today (Thursday). Please plan accordingly.
Hear Audio Alert:https://hrpow.us/oeFZANN
Montague County Sheriff Marshall Thomas has confirmed human skeletal remains were recovered on June 13 in the Sunset area, and they could possibly be those of a flight attendant believed to have been murdered almost a year ago in the Fort Worth.
The murder suspect, Dennis William Day, 66, admitted in June 2025 to strangling Rana Soluri, 47, an Envoy flight attendant who lived with Day during that last year. She was reported missing by a co-worker on June 11 and had not been seen or heard from since March 2025.
Day initially denied any involvement, but later admitted to the murder and indicated he dumped her body somewhere in the Montague County area. Lawmen have scoured the areas in questions in both Montague and Wise County, but found nothing.
Sheriff Thomas said on June 13 the SO received a call of possible skeletal remains in the Brushy Creek area north of Poss Dyer Lane on Farm-to-Market 1749. A deputy went to the scene and confirmed it was human remains.
Investigators responded and kept the scene secure overnight until staff from the University of North Texas Forensic Anthropology Center could arrive and made the recovery on June 14. A Texas Ranger and staff from the Fort Worth Police Department also were on scene.
“There is no determination made yet on how long it has been there,” said Thomas. “The anthropologist was pleased to recover most of the skeleton in these conditions. Heavy rains previously made the past searches difficult. We are working jointly with Fort Worth to make an identification and if it is the victim in their homicide.”
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