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Biden discusses Middle East conflict; FBI reveals Trump used Twitter during Capitol riot, memo unsealed; Michigan voters urged not to overlook local races, focus on school boards in rural areas; National Drive Electric Week in Arizona highlights electric and hybrid vehicle benefits.

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Biden voices concerns over Israeli strikes on Iran, Special Counsel Jack Smith detailed Trump's pre-January 6th pressure on Pence, Indiana's voter registration draws scrutiny and a poll shows politics too hot to talk about for half of Wisconsinites.

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Cheap milk comes at a cost for residents of Washington's Lower Yakima Valley, Indigenous language learning is promoted in Wisconsin as experts warn half the world's languages face extinction, and Montana's public lands are going to the dogs!

FTC warns scams lead to highest per-capita losses in NV

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Tuesday, April 23, 2024   

Financial Literacy Month might be coming to an end soon, but the Federal Trade Commission wants to help Nevadans year-around spot, avoid and report scams to keep their money safe. The state's residents lost almost $80 million to financial scams in 2023, according to LendingTree, a loan-finding marketplace. The Silver State also saw the highest per-capita losses due to scams at just above $25.

Reid Tepfer, attorney for the FTC's southwest region office, said they received fraud reports from 2.6 million people last year. The most commonly reported was the "imposter" scam.

"When I say imposter scams, I mean people who are pretending to be your bank's fraud department, the government, maybe a relative in distress or a well-known business, even a IT support expert," he explained.

Tepfer added investment-related scams were the fourth most-reported fraud category, with people losing more than $4.6 billion nationwide last year, the most of any category. Tepfer said if something sounds too good to be true, it likely is, and added a scammer will often demand payment by a money transfer or gift card, and will pressure you to act now. A list of warning signs is online at 'consumer.ftc.gov.'

As technology becomes more advanced, so do the scams. Tepfer said it is a scam when someone tries to get you to move your money to protect it - such as asking you to transfer or withdraw funds from a bank or investment account, and added you should always take the time to do your research before making any financial decision - which is exactly what scammers try to discourage.

"The reason they want to create this false sense of urgency is, they don't want you to be able to take a step back and ,ook at the situation with a clear head and realize that something isn't right." he continued.

Tepfer said if you're concerned or want to inquire about a financial account, make sure to contact the responsible financial institution using the phone number on your financial statement. He says if you are scammed, it is also important to file a report with the FTC. You can do this online at 'ReportFraud.ftc.gov' - or by calling 877-382-4357.


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