by Jeff Ferrell

SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) - Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell said it's 'mission accomplished' in stopping a scheme to rob people of their mineral rights. Caldwell said state efforts to publicize the scam appear to have scared off several 'fly-by-night' companies.

The offers from those companies typically came in the mail, containing a check and asking the recipients to sign a contract. And the 'devil' really was in the details. It's just another aspect of the Haynesville Shale experience.

During a visit to Shreveport on Friday, (11/14), Caldwell told Shreveport's Optimist Club good news about his office's work around the state. We caught up with Caldwell just before speaking at that gathering.

In fact, Caldwell's visit comes two months since his warning to KSLA News 12, among others, about mineral lease scams mailed to property owners. "Since we've started our public service ads we have almost helped obliterate that problem."

Caldwell's office received more than 200-complaints about several companies inserting clauses in those mineral lease deals that even included 'power of attorney.' "They could put you in a nursing home, handle all your financial business, take care of your money and change your property description," added Caldwell.

In the case of changing your property description at the courthouse, they could claim you own just a portion of your actual acreage. Then, they could pocket any and all royalties from the rest of the land.

Caldwell described their public message, which solved the problem, as simple. "People going to their lawyers; we haven't had any more complaints about it."

People began falling for such schemes just as the bubble burst on the Haynesville Shale, or at least the huge prices for lease signing bonuses. But Shreveport Optimist Club President Stephen Glassell told us that the public should not worry, predicting that signing bonuses will rise again. "Absolutely! I didn't think we'd do it after the 80's crash. I think so!"

We also asked Caldwell about recent complaints since several gas companies began withdrawing some of their offers. He concluded, it would take a large number of cases before they might investigate.
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