Nevada Secretary of State warns of scams impersonating officials and loved ones

Scripps National

By: Narée Asherian

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Imagine getting a call from a loved one claiming they're in financial distress — only to find out it was an AI-generated scam.

With fraudsters utilizing AI to pry information and funds from victims, Nevada Secretary of State, Francisco Aguilar, warns Nevadans to stay vigilant and protect themselves from these realistic scams.

How is AI being used to scam people?

According to the Nevada Secretary of State's office, "fraudsters can use AI technology to clone voices, alter images, and even create fake videos to spread false or misleading information."

This can come in the form of "deepfake" audio or video, which they use to trick people into believing their loved ones are in financial distress or that the CEO of their workplace has shared important investment news — even going as far as impersonating government officials, according to the Nevada Secretary of State's office.

“Scammers continue to target our most vulnerable communities, particularly our older investors. Across the country, we’re seeing emerging technologies like artificial intelligence being used to prey on the victim’s emotions by impersonating a loved one and claiming they need money urgently, or by impersonating a trusted government official. The Secretary of State’s Office is urging Nevadans to be wary of urgent requests, verify the legitimacy of the caller and report any suspected cases of fraud.” — Nevada Secretary of State, Francisco Aguilar

How to protect yourself from AI scams

Verification is your best friend when it comes to recognizing AI-generated scams, according to the Nevada Secretary of State's office.

If you receive communications from a government official, they recommend contacting that individual's office directly through the contact information provided on their website, or reach out to the following organizations:

SOS Securities Division (702) 486-2440
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (sec.gov)
North American Securities Administration Association (nasaa.org)
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (finra.org)

Investments are also an area of interest for scam artists, where they impersonate people within the industry, the Nevada Secretary of State's office shared. They remind Nevadans that companies and individuals "are required to be licensed by the State of Nevada if they conduct securities or business in or from the state." If you're not sure about the legitimacy of an investment message, you can use the following information to check:

SOS Securities Division (702) 486-2440
Search for broker-dealers and agents (brokercheck.finra.org)
Search for investment advisers and representatives (adviserinfo.sec.com)
Report investment fraud (nvsos.gov/sos/investor-information)

It's important to confirm messages with loved ones too, according to the Nevada Secretary of State. Any "urgent pleas" from family or friends might be sent by AI-generated tools that have accessed personal information about you through online sources in order to "stir up your emotions," they said.

"No matter how urgent the plea — especially when accompanied by directives such as 'don't tell my [parents/spouse/roommates]' — take time to independently verify the situation before agreeing to transfer money or securities out of your investment account." — Nevada Secretary of State's office

To avoid being taken in by a fraudulent message from friends or family, the Nevada Secretary of State's office recommends creating a secret phrase or password to verify your loved ones' identify in the event of an emergency.