Dominga Alvarez took a call at home last weekend which resulted in the filing of a police report and Dominga fearing for her life.
"I said “Hello?”, and he said "Si, tia?", and I said who's this?"
The caller, like so many others who have targeted valley residents, claimed to be a relative and was speaking only in Spanish.
"Who are you?”, Dominga says she asked the caller. “He said, don't you remember me? I'm the only one on the Alvarez side. I start thinking it can't be so and so. The only one I haven't heard from in 2 years is Daniel and I said Daniel? And he says, it's about time you remember me."
The 78 year old said she was a bit confused by the call, but the caller knew her last name and even asked for her husband by name.
"Is Leandro there? And I said no he just left."
None of that is private information.
We opened up the phone book and found Leandro Alvarez in Primera with a phone number but no address.
The caller proceeded to ask Dominga how to get to her home.
Still thinking it was her nephew, she gave him directions to her house
"Well if you're coming from McAllen you have to drive to Stuart Place Road, and he couldn't pronounce Stuart Place the right way."
Finally, something stirred Dominga.
She realized the caller couldn't say things in English, her nephew Daniel's first language.
Before the caller could ask Dominga to lend him money when he arrived at her home, she busted him.
"I said Daniel why don't you speak to me in English? You always talk to me in English."
The phone calls stopped, but the fear has swallowed Dominga who called police and keeps a close eye on any movement outside her home.
She says, "He scared me. This is what I want people to know that these people are mean. Even though he sounds real sweet."
Primera Police have had several other reports of similar calls and say they are hard to track because the calls are being made using calling cards.
Your best bet is to refrain from giving any personal information out over the phone until you are sure of the caller and don't be afraid to let police know about the calls.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT