Don’t fall for scams

Phone and text scams cost people across the country millions of dollars a year. Phone fraudsters use the threat of arrest warrants, the promise of romance and even disasters to con unsuspecting people aout of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars. These thieves often target senior citizens, because the scam artists know that most seniors will be polite and trusting. Many of these crimes are perpetrated outside the jurisdiction where the crime occurred, making them tough to investigate.

Here are some of the more common schemes reported to law enforcement.

BANKING SCAM: The scammers use caller ID spoofing to appear like a legitimate financial institution. Often, the caller uses scare tactics (“your account will be frozen” or “you’ll be arrested if you don’t comply right away”) to obtain information such as account and PIN numbers, Social Security number, or other personal information.

Never provide to an unexpected caller. Hang up immediately.

POLICE SCAM: The caller claims to be a police officer or federal agent. It all sounds official, and the caller may even appear on caller ID as an officer or a law enforcement agency. The caller claims there is a warrant out for your arrest!

They have a multitude of claims they use: missed jury duty, failure to pay taxes, or other infractions. The scammer demands immediate payment to avoid being arrested, usually asking for eGift cards, or cryptocurrency. Boulder City Police Department – like all law enforcement agencies – will never demand payment over the phone.

UTILITY SHUTOFF SCAM: The caller or text message claims to be from the utility department and threatens to shut off power, gas or water, unless you pay immediately. The city of Boulder City will never call or text you that your utilities are being shut off. When in doubt, call Boulder City Utilities Billing Department at 702.293.9244.

FRIEND SCAM: The text may start with, “Hey, can’t wait to see you again!” or “How was your trip to Paris?” They may know enough about you, gleaned from social media, to sound like they have met you. When you say “wrong number,” they try to continue the conversation.

Do not reply. Generally, the scammer is trying to get more information about you or try to pitch fake investment opportunities. Ignore the text and block the number.

ROMANCE SCAM: Many of these occur on dating apps, but scammers are becoming more brazen, texting or calling potential victims. They use photos of real people to create fake identities, to gain trust and build relationships. The scammer uses this ploy to ask for money from the victim.

CHARITY FRAUD: These are quite common after natural disasters or times of need, such as the holiday season. Scammers seek donations for fake charities or organizations that do little or no work.

Donated funds often line the pockets of the scam artists.

EMPLOYMENT SCAMS: Fraudulent offers of employment via text are often a phishing attempt. The thieves ask for personal information in an effort to get identifying information, Social Security numbers and more.

If you believe you may be a target of any scam, contact the Boulder City Police Department’s non-emergency number at 702.293.9224 and press option 1. Learn more at www.fbi.gov/scams.