LAS VEGAS, Nv. — The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center reports that the Silver State ranks near the top of country when it comes to cyber crime reports and money lost to online scams.
Clark County is now warning the public about a scam targeting customers through their Comprehensive Planning Department saying customers who receive an email coming from the domain @usa.com is a phishing scam to get your information.
But fraud and scams come in many forms. Legal officials I spoke to said that AI and voice cloning scams have also skyrocketed in the last year. A new report from financial site Broker Chooser shows that Nevada now ranks among the top in the country for AI related scams, and victims are losing an average of 36-thousand dollars per case.
Experts say hose behind these scams are getting more sophisticated, aggressive and convincing. Earlier this week, we told you about a woman who was targeted by scammers who called and said she owed thousands of dollars in unpaid property taxes.
"There are some of the scams out there now, especially with AI, are so elaborate that if they have a sample of your voice, they could call. They could call your child and it would sound like your child. So now there's recommendations that with family members create, like, a safe word," said Michael Wendlberger with Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada. "The other thing that a lot of these frauds take advantage of is time is of the essence. They call you, 'I need this today. I need $2000 wired today.' We've seen frauds even in businesses where they will pretend to be your boss, your supervisor, and they will say, 'Hey, I'm out of town at a conference. We're in this important business merger. We need you to transfer $2000 right away to this number.' How do you say no to your boss? So they really prey on your vulnerabilities."
WATCH|Experts warn about rise in AI scams costing Nevadans thousands
William Voy with the Southern Nevada Senior Law Program, says seniors can be particularly susceptible to scams. He says, it's important to remain vigilant.
"Government entities, utilities, are going to use the regular US mail for any kind of thing that they need you to respond to. They may send you a text, right? Or an email. But they're also going to follow it up with something in writing in the regular mail. Always verify. If you did not request whatever that sender is sending to you or is an unknown sender, verify," said Voy. "Don't respond to that text or email. Go to your own computer, look up that company or that entity out there, and say, 'Oh, call them directly. Do I owe you money?'. No, you don't owe us money. No, delete that message, right? They want you to hit on that link that will take you somewhere else, and that somewhere else may be getting more information for you."
With so much risk when it comes to simply answering your phone, or getting a text or email, there are ways to protect yourself:
- Be vigilant: Check the domain names of emails you receive requesting information to make sure it's legitimate
- If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is: Always consider whether the price of goods and services, or if you're being offered a deal online or on the phone, could be someone trying to get your information
- Report suspicious activity: If you see any suspicious activity on your credit card, lock it down immediately and report it to the credit card company
If you're looking for more advice on how to protect yourself, or you've been a victim of fraud, our monthly "Ask-A-Lawyer" Phone Bank is happening Wednesday, Sept 2nd from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. You can get free legal guidance from local attorneys on scams, identity theft, deceptive business practices and more by calling this number: 702-269-5113.
