By Jeff Devine, The Chronicle
The Ozark Police Department is warning residents about a rise in scams involving the sale or installation of pine straw and asphalt.
Police said residents should take precautions before agreeing to services and making payments to businesses or individuals offering them.
Police recommend residents take several steps to protect themselves:
• Ask to see the business license, and refuse the service if one is not provided.
• Require a written contract that clearly states the quoted price before any work begins.
• Contact City Hall to verify that the business license is valid.
• If a quoted price seems unreasonable, contact your local law enforcement agency or obtain estimates from other businesses to help determine whether the offer is legitimate.
Residents are encouraged to take time to verify a business and its pricing before allowing work to begin or making payment.
The Ozark Police Department’s (OPD) work last year in uncovering a major, multi-state credit and debit card skimming operation also highlights the importance of reporting suspicious activity and scams. The investigation began in March 2025 after an employee at an Ozark grocery store noticed a suspicious device attached to a point-of-sale terminal and reported it to police. Investigators with OPD quickly determined that the device was a credit card skimmer designed to capture customers’ payment information, including magnetic-stripe data and, in some cases, PIN entries.
The initial report led Ozark detectives to identify potential suspects and coordinate with outside law enforcement agencies. Within less than 12 hours of arriving at the grocery store, investigators helped lead authorities to the arrests of two suspects located in Lynn Haven, Florida. Lt. Everett Evans, commander of the OPD Investigations Unit, and Senior Sgt. Justin Chadwick, chief investigator, assisted with evidence collection, search warrants, and the Florida operation alongside the Lynn Haven Police Department and other law enforcement partners.
The investigation later revealed that the operation was a massive scheme that extended across Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. Federal authorities determined that at least 23 skimming devices had been placed at 12 retail locations, with intended losses estimated at nearly $1.8 million. The individuals responsible were later sentenced in federal court. The case serves as a reminder that residents should promptly report suspected fraud or scams and preserve receipts, transaction records, suspicious devices, and other information that could assist investigators.
