LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Nevada Secretary of State's Office is asking the public to be on the lookout for scammers impersonating government officials, law enforcement officers or financial experts.
As the government shutdown continues, some scammers can use vulnerable situations to take advantage of people.
“Scammers are always looking to take advantage of those in vulnerable situations - and as Nevadans feel the impacts of the federal government shutdown and changes to social services, we’re urging the public to be on alert,” said Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar. “Nevadans should be wary of any urgent requests and always verify who is asking for their money or personal information.”
Scamming has become more sophisticated with the use of AI technology to impersonate friends or family,
Here's what you can do to protect yourself.
- Verify that a communication from a federal, state or local agency or other regulatory body is real by contacting their office directly.
- You can call the SOS Securities Division: (702) 486-2440, or reach out to the SEC, the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) and FINRA [finra.org] directly. For other agencies, be sure to independently search for contact information rather than clicking on links or calling numbers in the communication you receive.
- Check before you invest your money. You can check by calling the SOS Securities Division at (702) 486-2440, or you can check online by calling the SOS Securities Division: (702) 486-2440 or checking online:
- Search for broker-dealers and their agents here [brokercheck.finra.org]
- Search for investment advisers and their representatives here [adviserinfo.sec.gov]
- Confirm urgent pleas from family and friends.
- Verify a situation before agreeing to transfer money or securities out of our investment account. Scammers impersonating friends or family members seek to stir emotions.
You can report investment fraud here.
There is a restitution fund available to victims of investment fraud that can learn more about here.