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BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Louisiana residents received over 50 million scam calls in December, according to new statistics from the spam blocking app TrueCaller, showcasing an alarming increase in unwanted calls month by month.

The app identified over 2.5 billion spam calls nationwide in December, with Louisiana residents specifically targeted by over 58 million scam calls and over 3 million scam texts during the month.

“It’s insane, so I don’t get my number out anymore,” said Peter Simon, a local shopper.

Technology makes scams more sophisticated

Carmen Million with the Better Business Bureau of South Central Louisiana said new technology and artificial intelligence make it easier for scammers to contact consumers.

“Technology is with us. And where we could tell consumers where to look out, what warning signs to look out for these scams, you know, the new AI has made it easier for these scammers to make it look really valid. And it can dupe some consumers into believing that they’re a legitimate cause when in case it’s a scam,” Million said.

Scammers use various tactics to trick people and steal information, money, and focus from their targets.

“There was one, like, cruises for a lot. And then there was a lot of political ones that were surprising,” Simon said.

Patricia Martinez, another shopper, expressed concern about vulnerable populations.

“I have senior parents, too, that I feel are all so vulnerable to AI, and I see it really prevalent in social media spaces as well. So, it can create a lot of disinformation,” Martinez said.

How to avoid scam calls

The main goal is authenticity and verifying what the caller claims to represent. If a scammer claims to be from a government agency or organization, consumers should check directly with that organization or agency to see if the claims are true.

“I would tell everyone, like, take me off your list. And they were, I don’t know if that helped, but they stopped calling, so,” Simon said.

Martinez recommended researching suspicious calls online.

“I would always go and Google the sources to see if other people have spoken out about them. Social media is a great place to see where other people have maybe had these issues,” she said.

Million advised consumers to be skeptical of all unsolicited calls.

“Automatically assume it’s not valid. Investigate. And always do your homework,” she said.

The Better Business Bureau tracks scams and encourages consumers to report them anonymously on their website’s scam tracker at bbb.org/scamtracker. Million said many consumers hesitate to report scams due to embarrassment, making the anonymous reporting option vital for gathering information.

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Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s ambitious effort to develop a production base in Louisiana for his G-Unit Studios took another step forward as the state revealed a finalized deal for an investment and redevelopment plan.

Under the agreement, Jackson’s company will invest $124 million to renovate venue space Stageworks, update a production campus formerly owned by Millennium Studios and build a “dome-style immersive venue and green space park” in the city of Shreveport, the Louisiana Economic Development office said on Monday. The state said it agreed to provide $50 million “in performance-based funding” for infrastructure at those sites.

“By reinvesting in downtown Shreveport and upgrading existing assets to create state-of-the-art entertainment and production facilities, we are creating jobs, inspiring hope, attracting new productions, and giving the entire entertainment industry a reason to build their futures right here,” Jackson stated.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry added, “we’re thrilled to welcome yet another project that sees the strength, talent and potential of this region.”

Two years ago this April, Jackson held a press conference and unveiled blueprints for G-Unit Studios in the city, likening the plan to the expansive production soundstage space that Tyler Perry had built outside of Atlanta. A long-term lease with the city for Stageworks was announced last year.

Jackson had a longtime, sometimes contentious producing partnership with Starz owing to the hit Power franchise and its spinoffs. In late October, Starz formally canceled drama series BMF after four seasons. A month later, in response to a Hollywood Reporter earnings article on Starz’ $53 million in quarterly losses, 50 Cent wrote on Instagram, “See what happens when I stop working, let’s make STARZ great again.”

On Starz’ earnings call in November president Jeffrey Hirsch called out the Jackson and G-Unit produced boxing drama Fightland as the company’s first studio original greenlit since its spinoff from Lionsgate. The series is currently in production in London.

G-Unit produces for multiple studios and has broadened its scope to nonfiction, audio, film and television. The company inked a deal with Fox Entertainment in 2023 to develop new projects (one such project: 50 Ways to Catch a Killer, for Fox Nation). It’s also developing Ron Stallworth non-fiction tome The Gangs of Zion as a Hulu project titled Hip Hop Cop. Other projects include The Massacre and Queen Nzinga for Starz and Trill League for BET+.