The Washoe County Sheriff's Office has been alerted to several local schemes to try and scam residents out of personal information and money.
Below are a few examples of recent scams:
Scam 1 - “The Sheriff’s Office is calling…”: The caller says, “Hi my name is Lieutenant (fill in the blank) with the WCSO." The caller uses the name of a former staff member and tries to get information from the person and advises them to schedule a court date immediately.
Deputies say when asked more questions and for the caller to repeat themselves, the threats began, telling the person they will be held in contempt if they don’t do as they say. Authorities say this scammer was bold enough to leave a call back number, with a voicemail identifying himself as a member of the WCSO and to call 911 if this was an emergency. The calling number said it was from Schurz, Nevada.
They say a member of law enforcement will never threaten you. They will not call you on the phone to get money or information. You would receive a letter by mail if it was concerning the court system. If a detective did contact you, they would meet you at the Sheriff's Office and not some random location.
Scam 2 - “Your account has been compromised…”: You receive a text message saying your Bank of America account was frozen or someone has charged hundreds of dollars to your Amazon account. The text gives a link for you to respond.
Deputies advise always look for misspellings in emails, texts and links that don’t make sense. Always call or log into your account independently of the link provided.
Scam 3 - “You’re a winner…”: Senior citizens are contacted by "Publisher's Clearinghouse" saying that they have won a hefty sum of money. But in order to claim it, they must sign up for a credit card. The victim in this case told Deputies he didn't file a report because he was embarrassed.
Deputies say always file a report. It provides law enforcement with detailed information on what strategies scammers are using and how often it is happening. They say don't be embarrassed, you might actually help solve a crime.
If someone believes they are the victim of an internet crime or scam attempt, they can go to your local law enforcement agency and file a report. Other options are: www.ftc.gov/idtheft, call 877-438-4338 or 1-877-382-4357 to file a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
People can also always notify the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office by calling (775) 328-3001.
(Washoe County Sheriff's Office contributed to this report.)
