Boulder City resident scammed out of $6K

A Boulder City resident recently lost more than $6,000 through a telephone scam, and police are warning people about the threat.

In the latest theft, someone claiming to be with a bank’s fraud department called the resident and obtained login information, then transferred more than $6,000 from the victim’s account to a different account, according to a Boulder City Police Department release.

“The victim said the phone number matched the bank’s customer service phone number, so it seemed valid,” Chief Tim Shea said in the release. “These con artists use spoofing technology to make a call appear to be from a legitimate source. The victim said the bank couldn’t stop the fraudulent wire transfer, leaving the victim with little recourse.”

Common scams making the rounds in the city include calls from a “utility company” claiming it will shut off power without immediate payment, as well as claiming to be police threatening an arrest if they don’t buy gift cards to pay bail.

Neither Boulder City Utilities Department nor the Police Department call residents and request bank account information or gift cards for payment, the release said.

These scammers often prey on the elderly. Be sure you share this information with family, friends and neighbors who could be victims of such scams.

If you receive a call asking for money, do not provide any personal information.

“Hang up on the caller immediately, as these thieves will try to keep you on the phone in an effort to convince you to get gift cards,” Shea said.

Contact Tony Garcia at tgarcia@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0307. Follow @TonyGLVNews on X.