Detective Jeff Hoard warns Maysville residents about phishing emails and scam texts

Detective Jeff Hoard urged Maysville residents to be wary of phishing emails and scam text messages during a brief interview on Minute with the Mayor.

The mayor introduced Hoard as the episode's guest; Hoard said he received an email over the weekend that appeared to come from the U.S. Social Security Administration asking him to verify an account. "I did not click the link," Hoard said, adding that he checked the sender address and found added characters that indicated the message actually originated abroad. He said the address appeared legitimate at first but ended with "PH," which he traced to the Philippines, so he disregarded the message.

Hoard described simple checks listeners can use: "You can click on the address itself without clicking the other links, and it'll show you the address. If it's a normal address, it'll probably be from one of your known people... If not, it'll have a bunch of letters and numbers and be from a different .com or a .net or some foreign webmail," he said.

When the mayor asked about text-message scams, Hoard warned immediate payment requests for tolls or citations are common tactics. "If you get a text message wanting a toll payment or a citation payment, anything to that effect, don't respond to it. Definitely don't pay anything," he said. He advised residents to call the Maysville Police Department for guidance if they are unsure.

The episode closed with the mayor thanking Hoard for the advice and reminding listeners to verify senders before clicking links or responding to messages. "You guys be safe out there, and always check and be sure that it is from someone you really know," the mayor said.

No formal actions or policy changes were proposed in the program; the segment functioned as public information and safety guidance.