• Lock your doors and windows
• If someone is at the door, see who it is before opening the door. Ask strangers to give their name and show you I.D.
• Be very careful whom you let in your home. Never allow a stranger in your home, even if they appear to be in distress or with a young child.
• Never agree to have work done on your home without getting at least three written estimates from reputable contractors whose identity and address have been checked.
• Never leave mail in your mailbox for the mail carrier to collect.
• Make a list of expensive items (jewelry, etc.). Take a picture of these items and store the details in a safe place.
• When walking to and from a store, always be aware of who is around you. Do not leave a purse or handbag trailing from your arm or shoulder.

Finances

• Don't keep large amounts of cash on hand.
• Don't take money from your bank account just because someone tells you to.
• Never give out personal details such as your bank account number, Social Security number or credit card number to any person over the telephone
• Check your bank statement carefully each month. If you have a trusted adult child, consider asking your bank to send a duplicate copy of the statement to that child so that another pair of eyes can check that there is no suspicious activity on your account.
• Buy a shredder and shred all unused credit card applications.
• Ask your bank to call you if any check over a certain amount is ever presented to that branch for payment.
• Beware of family members persuading you to sign deeds or assets over to them.
• Keep your checkbook and spare checks in a safe place.

Financial or material exploitation is defined as the illegal or improper use of an elder/dependent adult's funds, property, or assets. Examples include:

• Cashing an elder/dependent adult's checks without authorization/permission
• Forging an elder/dependent adult's signature
• Misusing or stealing an elder/dependent adult's money or possessions
• Coercing or deceiving an elder/dependent adult into signing any document (e.g., contracts or will)
• Misusing conservatorship, guardianship, or power of attorney.

Signs and symptoms of financial or material exploitation include (but are not limited to):

• Sudden changes in bank account or banking practice, including an unexplained withdrawal of large sums of money by a person accompanying the elder/dependent adult
• The inclusion of additional names on an elder/dependent adult's bank signature card
• Unauthorized withdrawal of the elder/dependent adult's funds using their ATM card
• Abrupt changes in a will or other financial documents
• Unexplained disappearance of funds or valuable possessions
• Substandard care being provided or bills unpaid despite the availability of adequate financial resources
• Discovery of an elder/dependent adult's signature being forged for financial transactions or for the titles of his/her possessions
• Sudden appearance of previously uninvolved relatives claiming their rights to an elder/dependent adult's affairs and possessions
• Unexplained sudden transfer of assets to a family member or someone outside the family
• The provision of services that are not necessary
• An elder/dependent adult's report of financial exploitation

Vehicle Burglary

Vehicle burglaries and thefts are crimes of opportunity which occur at all hours, day and night. Burglaries from a vehicle generally have one thing in common: personal belongings, such as purses, bags, clothing, laptops and other electronic devices, are left in vehicles. Keep in mind anything can be of value to a thief.

Crime Prevention Tips:

• Always roll up vehicle windows and lock all doors.
• Hide your personal belongings. If you leave property visible in your vehicle, your vehicle is automatically a target.
• Store items in your trunk before you arrive on-site; avoid storing items in your trunk after you park.
• If you are alone and it is late, ask store security to accompany you to your parked vehicle.
• Park in a well-lit area.

Avoid Scams

Protect yourself from common scams by being alert and aware.  Anyone can be a target of a scam.  If you feel that something may not seem right, don’t hesitate to ask a friend or someone you trust.  Call the Carson City Sheriff’s Office at 775-887-2500 or your local Law Enforcement if you are the victim of a scam.

You can report complaints to the FBI at http://www.ic3.gov and get information on the latest scams at www.ftc.gov.

The following are some of the common scams that have been reported to the Carson City Sheriff’s Office.

Scammers will create fake profiles on dating sites, Apps, and social media.  They will contact their victims and start a friendship or romantic relationship over a long period of time. At some point, they will run into an issue and request money from you. 

The scammers will say they are living or working outside of the United States.  Some of the common reasons the scammers ask for money are:

• Travel expenses
• Airline Tickets
• They were detained at the airport and are required to pay fees to be released.
• Pay for Visa or Passports
• Medical emergency

The scammers ask for you to pay through wire transfers, gift cards, or reloadable Visa/Mastercards like Greendot or Moneypak.

They will lead you on for years as long as you keep giving them money.

The victim will receive a call from someone that identifies themselves as the IRS or Internal Revenue Service. Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a gift card or wire transfer.  They are usually told to stay on the phone the entire time as they travel to the store to buy the gift cards or transfer the money.

Victims may be threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting.

Generally, the IRS will first mail you a bill if you owe any taxes.  Ask for a phone number or call the local IRS directly.

Scammers will impersonate a Law Enforcement Official or a person of authority and advise you that you have an unpaid fine, ticket, or you are somehow connected to a criminal case.  The scammers will demand that you provide them with credit card details to pay the warrant or send you to the store to wire money or buy gift cards.

They will threaten to send an Officer to your location to arrest you if you don’t comply. 

The scammers usually sound like they are in a room with numerous other people and will hang up on you if you question them too much.     

The scammer will contact the victim and advise them that they won a large sum of money in a lottery.  They will ask you to pay the taxes before you receive any money.  They will ask you to wire the money; buy gift cards; give them your credit card details; or purchase reloadable Visa/Mastercard. 

If you are unable to pay the taxes, they may ask recruit you to be a “Mule” to receive and send money through your bank account.  You will be asked to provide your bank details, so they can deposit money into your account.  They will ask you to withdraw the money into a bank check or transfer the money into another bank account, which may be another victim.

 Other federal agencies may also become involved in the investigation for I.D. theft. The websites for these agencies are: 

Social Security Administration – 
www.ssa.gov/pubs/10064.html 
1-800-269-0271 

The Internal Revenue Service – 
www.irs.gov/advocate/ 
1-877-777-4778 (Taxpayer Advocate) 

The U.S. Department of Justice – 
www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/websites/idtheft.html

Nevada Attorney General 
http://ag.nv.gov/Hot_Topics/Victims/IDTheft/