What You Need to Know About the Latest Government Impersonation and Youth Extortion Scams

Scams are nothing new, but communities across the country, including Elko County, are seeing a growing number of a few particular schemes. Awareness is one of the best ways to reduce their impact, so EFCU is sharing this information to help you, your friends, and your family know what to watch for and how to respond.

While the details vary, most of these scams share one tactic: relying on secrecy. Scammers create a sense of urgency so you act before you've had a chance to think it through, whether that means calling the police, talking to a family member, or reaching out to your credit union.

Before we get into the specifics of these scams, here are a few general rules for what to do if you think you're being scammed.

What to Do If You Encounter a Scam

• Stop engaging. Hang up on the call or stop responding to the message right away.

• Do not send money or provide personal information, even if the sender already seems to know a lot about you.

• Save any evidence. If it's a text or online message, keep screenshots in case you need to report it later.

• Report it. Call 911 for an active phone threat, or report online scams to local law enforcement and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. 

• Block the number or account so it can be flagged for other potential victims.

• Trust your instincts. If something feels off or you're being pressured, that's reason enough to stop and reach out to someone you trust.

Now that you know how to respond, here's a closer look at two scams currently circulating. 

A number of scams related to government impersonation schemes are gaining traction. The ‘Jury Duty Scam’ is a good example of how they work. Using pressure and urgency, scammers pose as police officers, federal agents or other government officials and call claiming you missed jury duty and owe money because of it. 

Here are some red flags to watch for if you receive a call like this:

• A caller claims you owe money for missing jury duty.

• You're asked to pay using cash, Venmo, PayPal, Zelle, CashApp, a Crypto ATM, or any other form of payment over the phone.

• The caller threatens an arrest warrant if you don't pay immediately.

• You're told to keep the call secret or avoid talking to anyone else about it.

• The caller threatens to release your personal information or claims to have access to your phone, devices, or bank accounts.

• You feel pressured, yelled at, or threatened in any way.

A few facts to keep in mind: you will always be notified of jury duty by mail, never by phone call, text, or email. Arrest warrants are never issued or delivered over text or email. No government agency or law enforcement officer will ask you to pay a fine, fee, or bond over the phone under any circumstances. Lastly, caller ID isn't a reliable indicator, as these calls may use a local number or fail to be flagged as spam at all.