Nevada No.6 in the US for identity theft, Metro police say
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A gray-haired shopper looking through prepaid gift cards at the grocery store might seem like nothing out of the ordinary to most people. But to Metro Sgt. Beth Schmidt, it could be a nightmare in progress.
And if the shopper is talking on a cell phone, it might be time for an intervention.
Schmidt described the scene as she conducted a First Tuesday session at the Metro police Downtown Area Command. There’s a pretty good chance it’s a financial crime in progress, she said. People continue to fall for scams, and older people are often duped by scammers who tell them to buy gift cards and then give them the numbers over the phone. And younger people fall victim, too.
“These guys are really good. They’re master manipulators,” Schmidt said. “Gift cards are cash. We cannot trace that.”
Schmidt says it’s important to notify police of a scam. “Don’t be embarrassed. These are professionals. The sooner police know about a scam, the faster we can address it,” she said.
You’ve probably heard it before: No government agency will ever demand payment over the phone or tell you to pay with cryptocurrency on a Bitcoin ATM. They’ll never ask for prepaid cards.
If you’ve had personal information stolen, you are not alone. Nevada is No. 6 in the nation for identity theft, Schmidt said. The state saw a 200% increase…
