Texans lost over $1 billion to internet scams last year, ranking second behind California in cases reported to the FBI and tracking with population size.

The big picture: Americans lost over $12.5 billion to cybercriminals in 2023, according to new FBI data.

• Investment fraud was the costliest cybercrime reported nationally, jumping 28% since 2022.
• Americans also had roughly $1.3 billion in 2023 taken by scammers pretending to be from the government or tech support, the FBI says.

How it works: Scammers pretend to be a government official, tech support agent or customer service representative to trick people into sending money or other sensitive information.

• The impersonators typically call with fake stories that motivate someone to share their private identifiable details.

Zoom in: The FBI received 47,305 complaints from Texans last year.

• In January, the Dallas County sheriff's department warned residents of callers trying to collect money under the guise of outstanding warrants or missed jury duty.
• "The Dallas County Sheriff's Department and Dallas County Jury Services will NOT ever call, text, or email you … Just hang up when they contact you," the department said.

The intrigue: Fake job offers are among the most prolific and fastest-growing scams in the U.S., with some scammers reaching out to people about freelance opportunities over texts.

Reality check: People of all ages are susceptible to scams — not just the elderly. Only 40% of people who fell for tech support scams were reported by the FBI to be over 60.

Plus: Government organizations are susceptible.

• Last fall, Dallas County accidentally paid $2.4 million to scammers who used a fake business email address to impersonate a county contractor.

The bottom line: Many victims won't call the police after a scam or cyberattack due to shame over falling for a ruse or fear of retaliation, but the FBI encourages reporting.

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Texas' prison population grew 4.4% between 2021 and 2022 — adding the most prisoners of any state during that time at 5,900.

Yes, but: It fell nearly 20% between the peak year of 2010 and 2022, Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report from the latest Justice Department data.

Why it matters: Prison numbers indicate how our society approaches criminal justice.

• Plus, in Texas, where prisons are generally in rural areas and incarcerated people are often from urban ones, the prison population has implications for Census counting and political clout.

The big picture: Texas' prison population is smaller than only the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

• In 2022, the state had more total prison admissions (64,000) than all federal penitentiaries nationwide (44,900).

By the numbers: 139,631 people were in state or federal prisons in Texas in 2022, per the latest data.

• At the peak in 2010, there were 173,649 people incarcerated.

Between the lines: Between 2021-2022 Texas' female prison population increased about 8% while the male prison population increased 4%.

Zoom out: The U.S. prison population rose 2.1% between 2021 and 2022, marking "the first increase in the combined state and federal prison population in almost a decade," a recent DOJ report found.

• Florida added the second-most prisoners during that time with 4,300, and Mississippi was third with 2,500.

Mike Modano, who led the Dallas Stars to their first and only Stanley Cup title in 1999, will be honored with a statue outside American Airlines Center this weekend.

The intrigue: The statue showcases "Modano's speed and grace that were synonymous with his Hall of Fame career," per the NHL.

If you go: The statue will be unveiled at 4pm Saturday at PNC Plaza before the Stars game against the L.A. Kings. Say hi to the Dirk Nowitzki statue if you go.

More events this weekend…

☘️ Have Dublin the fun. The Dallas Mavericks are hosting Dallas' 43rd St. Patrick's Parade and Festival with Modano as the grand marshal.

• 9am to 3pm Saturday along Greenville Avenue.

🛍️ Hear, hear. Take your family to the mall for kid-friendly stories about Texas with Ramblin' Rita.

• 11:30am Saturday at the play place at Galleria Dallas.

🎨 Throw some colors. The Hindu holiday of Holi is later this month, and North Texans are celebrating all month long. This weekend's Fort Worth Festival of Colors will celebrate "the culture of India with a Fort Worth country flair."

• 11am-4pm Saturday at Panther Island Pavilion. Tickets start at $8.

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🕯 Paul Alexander, a Dallas polio survivor, died this week at 78. He was one of the few remaining people in the U.S. who used an iron lung. (DMN)

🏥 Three North Texas health systems are in the top five most profitable in the country. (D Magazine)

🍕 Oklahoma-favorite Hideaway Pizza plans to open a 10,000-square-foot location near Fossil Creek in Fort Worth. The pizzeria's only other Texas location is in Plano. (Star-Telegram)

💼 Take your career to the next level and see who's hiring.

1. AVP, Release Management at Bank OZK.
2. Environmental Multi-Media Compliance Manager at GHD.
3. Managing Editor, Autos at U.S. News & World Report.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Use code FIRST50 for $50 off your first job post.

Dallas-Fort Worth is solidly in the path of totality for the solar eclipse on April 8.

The big picture: The total eclipse will be visible in Mexico and 13 U.S. states, per NASA.

• A partial eclipse will be visible in the rest of the contiguous U.S.

How it works: Use eclipse glasses or other proper eyewear to view the eclipse. A list of reputable manufacturers and authorized vendors can be found here.

• Most of D-FW will be in the path of totality between 1:40-1:45pm.

If you go: Eater Dallas has put together this list of viewing parties for April 8.