September 25, 2014
Callers Posing as Legal Service Representatives
Las Vegas, NV - Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez
Masto is warning consumers of a scam where callers pose as legal representatives
of family members needing bail money.
“It is important for consumers to be aware of this scam to prevent being a
victim,” said Masto. “If consumers receive a call like this, they should take
down all the contact information and investigate with their families if the call
is legitimate.”
Local and out of state residents are being contacted by phone, text or email
requesting bail for relatives and are being asked to wire money to an account
designated by the caller. The call generally comes from the individual who
claims to be their kin or someone claiming to be a representative working for
“Nevada Legal Aid” and asking them to wire money to an account designated by the
caller which will secure their relative’s release.
Consumers should know that “Nevada Legal Aid” is not an entity that exists in
Nevada and should not be confused with other legitimate Legal Aid providers.
Also, legitimate, non-profit, Legal Aid providers in the State of Nevada do not
handle criminal cases or cases in which bail would be required.
Consumers are advised to be on the lookout when callers request that money to
be sent by wire transfer (because those funds are hard to track and almost
impossible to recover). If you receive a call of this nature and feel compelled
to send money by wire transfer, first take all of the caller’s contact
information. Investigate whether that family member is in fact in jail and
needing bail money.
If anyone has received an email solicitation in this regard, they are
encouraged to file a complaint with the FBI’s Cyber Crimes Division at
www.ic3.gov. For those who have
been contacted by phone or text, they are encouraged to file a complaint with
the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov or
by calling 1-877-382-4357. If you believe that you have been the victim of
fraud, deception or an unfair business practice, the Attorney General's Office.
Complaint forms are
available on our website www.ag.nv.gov.
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