A North Las Vegas woman, who wished to remain anonymous, recently fell victim to a sophisticated phone scam resulting in the loss of nearly $9,000. The incident serves as a stark reminder for residents to be wary of unsolicited calls, even those seemingly coming from trusted sources like their banks.

The scam began two weeks ago with a phone call that displayed the victim’s bank’s caller ID. The caller informed her of suspicious activity on her account and, upon checking her online banking, she discovered fraudulent charges totaling thousands of dollars.

The scammer then convinced the victim immediate action was required to “secure her account.” This urgency tactic is a common ploy used to pressure individuals into making rash decisions.

Deceived by the caller’s claims, the victim agreed to a supposed security measure where a “courier” would be sent to collect her debit card. Incredibly, within ten minutes, a person claiming to be the courier arrived at her doorstep with an “access code,” further convincing the victim of the legitimacy of the operation.

Tragically, the victim then made the critical mistake of handing over her debit card. Video footage captured the scammer promptly destroying the card with scissors, supposedly to prevent further fraudulent activity. However, this act likely served the purpose of rendering the physical card unusable while still allowing them access to the account information.

Despite never providing her address, the scammer was already in possession of this crucial detail, raising red flags that unfortunately went unnoticed at the time. The victim remained on the phone with the scammer throughout the ordeal. However, shortly after surrendering her card, she was locked out of her online bank account, a clear sign something was amiss.

Realizing she had been scammed, the victim immediately contacted her bank to close her accounts and change passwords. She is hopeful of recovering the stolen funds but has yet to see the money returned.

This incident highlights the importance of remaining vigilant against phone scams. Here are some key takeaways:

• Be wary of unsolicited calls, even if they appear to come from a legitimate source.
• Never give out personal information or financial details over the phone.
• Banks will never request your debit card or account information over the phone to resolve suspicious activity.
• If unsure about a call’s legitimacy, hang up and contact your bank directly using a trusted phone number.

The victim has filed a report with the North Las Vegas Police Department. While authorities are investigating a similar case in Henderson, no connection between the two incidents has been confirmed at this time.

This story serves as a cautionary tale, urging residents to be aware of these scams and take steps to protect themselves.

Credits: Fox 5 Vegas