LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Scam calls and fake texts are flooding phones across southern Nevada, and experts warn the tactics are becoming more sophisticated, more aggressive and more convincing than ever before.
WATCH | Abel Garcia talked to one woman who attested to how realistic these calls are getting:
Carolyn Parker, visiting Las Vegas from Salt Lake City for work, says the experience became terrifyingly real after she received a phone call appearing to come from law enforcement.
"Very, because they put a lot of fear into you on something that you may owe and it's a legitimate thing," Parker said.
Parker says the caller claimed she owed thousands in unpaid property taxes and even knew deeply personal information about her family.
"They called posing as the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office, and it came across Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office when I picked up the phone," Parker said.
"They did. They knew… my brother being in prison, which he was at the time," Parker said.
The scammers demanded payment immediately using money orders — something experts say is a major red flag. Parker says she became suspicious before handing over any money.
"So I went directly to the Draper Police Department and handed them the phone… they immediately hung up when I handed the phone to them," Parker said.
New data shows these scams are rapidly escalating. According to a new analysis by financial site BrokerChooser, Nevada now ranks among the top states in the nation for AI-related scams, with victims losing an average of more than $36,000 per case.
Clayton LiaBraaten, senior executive spokesman for Truecaller, says scammers are also using AI and social media information to sound more believable than ever before.
"Everybody gives their… privacy for social media… there's these breadcrumbs all across the internet… They can disguise the voice. It can sound like a synthetic voice can sound like me. It can sound like you. It can sound very authoritative," LiaBraaten said.
LiaBraaten says the biggest mistake people make is reacting too quickly.
"Do not react to any inbound request for account information, Social Security account information, bank account information," LiaBraaten said.
He also recommends never clicking suspicious links, letting unknown calls go to voicemail and using scam-filtering tools on your phone.
Ari Fanfuel offered this advice for anyone who suspects they may be targeted.
"If you have a feeling that it's not right, it's probably not right. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is," Fanfuel said.
For Parker, the experience still shakes her.
"I was. It's terrifying," Parker said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
