Nevada tele-town hall to focus on COVID-19 fraud schemes

A statewide telephonic town hall on Tuesday will discuss fraud schemes related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event, hosted by AARP Nevada, will take place from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Officials from the Nevada U.S. attorney’s office and the FBI’s Las Vegas field office will provide tips on how to avoid becoming a victim.

Following those presentations, callers may ask questions to a panel that will include an assistant U.S. attorney and a supervisory special agent, the U.S. attorney’s office said Monday.

Last year, fraud victims of all ages lost over $3.5 billion to fraud, with victims over the age of 60 accounting for $835 million of those losses, FBI statistics show.

So far this year, from Jan. 1 through June 9, the Federal Trade Commission has received 67,805 reports about fraud related to COVID-19, corresponding to $49.43 million in losses.

Those who wish to take part in the telephonic town hall may participate online by going to the AARP Nevada Facebook page at facebook.com/aarpnv.

Those looking to report fraud may call the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or fill out the center’s web complaint form at www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm.

The FBI will take reports at www.ic3.gov or at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Nevadans also may call AARP’s Fraud Watch Network helpline at 1-877-908-3360 to report a scam.

You can also find tip sheets and sign up for fraud alerts at the Fraud Watch Network site, www.aarp.org/fraud.

To find out more about Department of Justice resources and information, please visit: www.justic.gov/coronavirus. AARP has resources and information at www.aarp.org/coronavirus.

Contact Briana Erickson at berickson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5244. Follow @brianarerick on Twitter.