The Nye County Sheriff’s Office is warning area residents not to get reeled into a scam known as “phishing.”
The sheriff’s office issued a news release this week about the scam that they say has already affected senior citizen residents of Nye County.
“The sheriff’s office cares about senior citizens in our community and unfortunately, seniors are often targeted in scams such as this one, where residents are being contacted through either text messages or voice calls from someone claiming to be from a bank or financial institution,” the release stated. “They claim that your account has been compromised and request that you contact them immediately to reopen your account.”
The news release went on to state that the caller’s goal is to convince seniors citizens that they are affiliated with a financial institution, in an effort to gain personal information, such as the person’s name, bank account number, pin number, social security number, or other sensitive information.
“This is a common type of scam called Phishing,” the release noted. “If you are contacted by someone in this fashion, we urge you not to give them any personal information.”
Those who have questions, concerns, or additional information on the scam, may contact the Nye County Sheriff’s Office at 775-751-7000, or by email at sheriff@co.nye.nv.us
Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes