SCAM

In our last column, we explained that the financial collapse of 2007-08 was due much to collusion between private banks and government. Congressional mandates required lenders to issue mortgages to people who couldn’t afford them. Then, government agencies would purchase the faulty loans from the banks, thus relieving the banks of the risks.

Seven out-of-state men were arrested Saturday on felony fraud and other charges after officers uncovered a scam where the suspects allegedly went door-to-door asking for money donations they said would be used to assemble care packages sent to U.S. soldiers overseas, a Carson City sheriff’s deputy said.

An increase this month in telephone scammers targeting locals and businesses has prompted Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong to issue a warning to all citizens not to be taken in by the thieves.

"Whether they say they're from NV Energy, the gas company, the IRS or other utilities, don't be fooled. Don't fall prey to these scammers," said Furlong.

This past weekend a Carson City resident received a phone call from an individual claiming that the resident failed to appear for jury service and owed $1,000. The caller provided the resident with a number and told her it was the Clerk’s Office and advised the resident to call to arrange for payment or a warrant would be issued.

A day after reports surfaced of a telephone scam hitting Carson City residents involving a "local" firefighter's association collecting money for charity, the Nevada Attorney General warned of yet another scam on Tuesday, this time where callers pose as representatives of the “state” attorney general or U.S. Department of Treasury.

Another phone scam is making its way around Carson City. The latest involves a telephone number with a 775 area code and an Incline Village prefix in which the perpetrator says he’s collecting money on behalf of the association of firefighters.

Two California men are denying they followed an elderly Minden resident to his home after accosting him at a Carson City grocery store parking lot are in custody on multiple charges of burglary, robbery and exploitation of the elderly.

The Carson City Sheriff's Office has set up a donation account for the family of Carl Howell, the deputy who passed away on Saturday.
The Reno Police Department says some people could use this opportunity to scam and take advantage of people trying to do a good thing.

Sheriff Ken Furlong will be speaking at the Carson City Senior Citizens Center on phone scams including signs of a scam, how they hook you, why they are calling and what to do about pre-recorded calls.
The discussion will be Friday, April 10, 2015 from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM in the Dining Room. The Carson City Senior Citizens Center is located at 911 Beverly Drive.
For further information, please contact the Center at 883-0703.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is investigating several calls where a male with a Hispanic accent threatens to kill a female if monies are not sent to him.

Sgt. Pat Brooks with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said the agency is investigating three calls where a female in the back ground is heard screaming and a male is asking for $50,000 to be sent to him or he will put a bullet in the female’s head.

The Federal Trade Commission say scams against the elderly are increasing. You have heard about the telephone calls “your grandchild is in trouble, send money now” that are not true.

But it is not only the telephone scams of various types to be concerned about. Family members account for nearly 60 percent of the cases of senior financial exploitation. Friends, neighbors and paid home care aides also can be involved in scams.

The Federal Trade Commission say scams against the elderly are increasing. You have heard about the telephone calls “your grandchild is in trouble, send money now” that are not true.

But it is not only the telephone scams of various types to be concerned about. Family members account for nearly 60 percent of the cases of senior financial exploitation. Friends, neighbors and paid home care aides also can be involved in scams.

The Nevada fire marshal's office is investigating a scam where a company representing themselves as “RMZ Fire Safety” out of Las Vegas is allegedly sending invoices to companies requiring payment for $413.11 for an “Annual State Required Fire Safety Equipment Inspection, Test and Certification.”

Since October has become the “scary month” I thought I would try my hand at telling you a scary story. You get a call from somebody claiming to be with the IRS, telling you that you owe back taxes of $1,253.28 and must pay right away with a credit card or wire transfer or face possible bank account levy, or deportation, or loss of driver’s license, and/or arrest within the next 48 hours?

The IRS has discovered false claims for child tax credits for returns filed by U.S. citizens that live in Israel. It may involve tens of millions of dollars.

The child tax credit can be $1,000 for each child who is not age 17 at the end of the year. The child must be either a U.S. citizen, national or resident of the U.S. The credit begins to phase out when the taxpayers (parents) modified adjusted gross income in 2013 reaches $110,000 for joint returns and $75,000 for single taxpayers.

Two were arrested early Monday morning on felony drug and gross misdemeanor child endangerment charges after a search warrant led to their discovery in a crawl space where they were hiding, a Carson City sheriff’s deputy said.

Arrested were Michael Tiehm and Ashley Marie Makara, both 25, of Carson City. According to the arrest report, deputies went to a home in the 3100 block of Minonee Drive in an attempt to serve arrest warrants on the pair.

Another telephone scammer, this time claiming to be the Carson City undersheriff, has surfaced again. Sheriff Ken Furlong is warning citizens not to engage with the caller.

The sheriff's office is receiving a heavy volume of reports from area residents that they had received telephone calls from the current Carson Undersheriff, Steve Albertsen, and warned of a warrant for their arrest, said Furlong.

Scammers are at it again; most recently I received a letter from a citizen who was informed that they had won the “Inter-American Lotto Powerball” held in Hawaii. Having never been to Hawaii, the individual was pretty certain they did not win.

A check had been included with the letter which the recipient was asked to deposit and return a portion of the funds received. This was to pay for non- resident fees and administrative costs. A little research on the internet and it was obvious that the letter was a scam.

At least five residents have filed reports with the Carson City Sheriff's Office in the past two days after a telephone scam that involved so-called NV Energy bill collectors. Of the five complaints being investigated, three residents were defrauded of several hundred dollars, a deputy said Wednesday.

The IRS has warned repeatedly of a massive, sophisticated telephone scam. IRS warned of this scheme last October, then Feb. 27, 2014 and again March 20, 2014.

The scam is when victims are contacted by telephone and usually told they are entitled to big refunds or that they owe money that must be paid immediately to IRS.

The Carson City Sheriff's Office is again receiving calls from the public in regards to money scams. The first one involves citizens being called and told that a warrant for their arrest has been issued for failure to show up for jury duty.

The caller identifies himself using an actual deputy or Nevada Highway Patrol officers name to convince the called party that this is real.

The caller has also given the name of current judges as being the ones who have signed the warrant. He will then try to convince the called party to send a MoneyPak or some other form of pre-paid debit card.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is warning residents of a telephone scam involving grandparents of college-aged students. The scammers recently bilked a Douglas County couple of $4,000, said Sgt. Pat Brooks. In Carson City, people have been targeted in the past with a similar scam.

The way the scam works is a caller phones a relative, usually a grandparent, and informs them their grandchild has gotten into trouble with the law while on spring break. In the most recent case, the grandchild was said to be in trouble with the law in Nashville, Tenn.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about a scam in which business owners have been contacted and warned their utilities would be shut off because their bill is delinquent.

The Carson City Sheriff's Office is warning residents of a telephone scam where a man claiming to be a law officer is calling and telling people they missed jury duty and they will go to jail unless they immediately pay a fine.

Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong said at least five residents have been contacted regarding this scam and warns that people should not fall for it.

The Carson City Sheriff's Office is warning residents of a man posing as a lieutenant who is telling them that they will go to jail unless they use a credit card or money order to pay for traffic tickets.

According Sgt. Scott McDaniel, a man is calling homeowners identifying himself as "Lt. Steven Mills" with the Carson City Sheriff's Office or the Ormsby County Sheriff's Office.

I am adamantly opposed to the 1/8 cent tax increase to fund proposed city projects. I resent the efforts of city staff to “bundle” these projects, falsely represent them as necessary, and, by omission, deceive voters as to the true costs of these efforts. While at the work shop on January 21st, no one could tell me where the tax budget shortfall was for these projects, and there was no clearly demonstrable need.

Nevada JobConnect is warning jobseekers to beware of a Craig’s List scam in which two Northern Nevada customers recently fell victim.

An advertisement on Craig’s List requested jobseekers purchase Wal-Mart gift cards for $70 to pay for OSHA training for a job. Clients were told to go to the Reno or Sparks JobConnect where they would supposedly receive OSHA training to qualify for the job. However, no such training or job opportunity exists, said Renee Olson, administrator for the Employment Security Division of Nevada’s Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.

The Carson City Sheriff's Office is warning residents of a scam involving a mobile auto body repairman who is asking for money to do on-the-spot vehicle repairs.

At least two residents have been taken in the scam, according to the sheriff's office, with one being followed to the bank for payment of service.

CARSON CITY — Now that open enrollment has begun for health insurance plans affected by the Affordable Care Act, Nevadans need to be wary of scammers looking to take advantage of consumer’s uncertainty surrounding this law.

Southwest Gas and NV Energy customers are being targeted again by scammers calling and asking for personal information about their accounts and bills, Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong said.

Typically people are calling homes and businesses and identifying themselves as being with the utility company and asking for information about their power and in some cases, threatening to shut off the utility if a payment isn't made through a credit card or a cash transfer.