Washoe County Sheriff's Office Issues Warning about Rising Scam: Over Half a Million Dollars Lost

NEVADA – The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) is sounding the alarm on a disturbing scam that has already drained residents of more than half a million dollars this year. The alert comes after WCSO deputies responded to a fraud report from Lemmon Valley last week.

According to WCSO, the victim was targeted through threatening phone calls and online messages. The scammers claimed the victim’s bank account was tied to criminal activities online and insisted that transferring $15,000 to a cryptocurrency account through a Bitcoin ATM was the only way to prevent impending crimes.

Detectives from WCSO swiftly intervened, confirming that the swindled funds were still inside the Bitcoin ATM. Armed with a search warrant, they successfully returned the money to the rightful owner.

The WCSO is cautioning the public as these online fraud schemes are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Scammers now pose as banking institutions, using official-sounding emails and calls to deceive victims. These fraudsters may even have access to personal details such as names, addresses, and banking information.

Detective Richard Spaulding of WCSO emphasized, “Your personal information is still out there on the web and it can be had by whoever is willing to do the work or pay the money for it.”

These scams often employ a threatening tone, with victims receiving warnings of legal consequences if they fail to comply with demands for money. WCSO officials stress the importance of immediate action in case of fraud. The longer victims wait to report such incidents to the appropriate authorities, the more challenging it becomes to recover lost funds.

Stay vigilant and informed, and if you or someone you know falls victim to fraud, don’t hesitate to contact your local police agency promptly to file a report.

Credits: Fox Reno