Sheriff’s office warns of new phone scam

The Nye County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents of the latest in a recent rash of reported scams in the area.

The scam involves a phone call featuring a pre-recorded, female voice telling the potential victim that they are subject to appear in federal court for a criminal offense. The call is said to sound, “official in tone,” and advises the intended victim to call an out-of-state number to speak with a proposed federal agent to obtain a case number to avoid being arrested by local authorities.

”The Nye County Sheriff’s Office would like to advise the public that this is not consistent with any methods by which federal courts operate,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “NCSO detectives are currently investigating this type of scam and advise the public to not provide any such callers with any type of personal information or agree to send any money if so required by the caller. If in doubt, please call the Nye County Sheriff’s Office to report such a call.”

Anyone who has received any calls similar in nature to the reported scam is urged to call the sheriff’s office at 775-751-7000.

NCSO advises area residents that there are a number of scams in existence, and the methods and accompanying stories vary widely. Although most scams have been around for years, scammers continue to find new victims daily.

These predators are very convincing at their unlawful craft, as they sound and appear truly sincere and believable. Because of that, they are able to pull their scams off successfully every day.

In the vast majority of cases, the scam artists are located in different parts of the country or in another country, such as Mexico and Nigeria.

Although the sheriff’s office investigates each reported case, it is difficult, if not impossible to identify the actual suspect in these types of cases due to the almost unlimited anonymity the internet and common computer technology offers. The Nye County Sheriff’s Office warns the public to be safe and not fall prey to scams and other forms of fraud.

“We ask the public to be vigilant and skeptical of anything that appears to be a scam before responding to such threats or offers which sound too good to be true,” the sheriff’s office stated.

Contact reporter Mick Akers at makers@pvtimes.com. Follow @miackakers on Twitter.