https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/New scam notices posted for community awareness in Reno, Sparks, Washoe County, Carson City, and Lake Tahoe. Not an official government or law enforcement feed.en-usHugoSat, 10 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/gift-card-cash-withdrawal-seniors/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/gift-card-cash-withdrawal-seniors/Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000Phone and ImpersonationOlder adults are being coached by phone to withdraw large amounts of cash and buy gift cards, then read the card numbers to the caller. Reno residents describe seniors driving to several grocery stores in one day so no single store notices the volume, and a bank customer who asked for $5,000 to buy gift cards and left convinced the request was legitimate even after a teller, a manager, and a bystander told her it was a scam. Once the numbers are given away the money is usually gone within minutes. No real business or government agency will ever ask you to pay with gift cards. (Source: Community reported. Status: Ongoing.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/voter-registration-lookalike-mailers/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/voter-registration-lookalike-mailers/Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000Mail and ElectionsA Reno voter reported a mailer that appeared to come from the Washoe County Registrar of Voters and urged them to register, but it used an incorrect version of their last name, likely pulled from a commercial data broker, and had a return address outside Nevada. We have not confirmed who sent this mailer, and it may not be a scam. The Nevada Secretary of State warns that third-party groups sometimes send registration mailers that look official, and the county also sends real voter notices. The risk is acting on the mailer, such as registering a second time with the wrong name details, or sending personal information to the wrong place, instead of checking your status yourself. (Source: Community reported. Status: Seasonal.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/business-email-compromise/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/business-email-compromise/Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000Business and EmailA criminal impersonates a boss, vendor, or customer, or takes over a real mailbox, to redirect a payment or change bank details. The FBI's 2025 IC3 report put BEC losses at roughly $3 billion nationwide, and small Nevada businesses, contractors, title companies, and medical offices are regular victims. (Source: FBI IC3. Status: Active.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/nevada-annual-list-scam/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/nevada-annual-list-scam/Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000Business and EmailOfficial-looking mailers and emails tell new and existing Nevada business owners they must pay a fee to file an Annual List or update corporate records. The Secretary of State has repeatedly warned that these solicitations are not from the state, may include pre-filled forms that change your registered agent, and that the email versions can be outright phishing. (Source: Nevada Secretary of State. Status: Ongoing.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/tahoe-rental-scams/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/tahoe-rental-scams/Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000Travel and HousingScammers copy photos and descriptions from real cabins, post them at bargain prices, often on Craigslist, and collect deposits by payment app. One reported victim lost $10,000 on a rental that did not exist. South Lake Tahoe Police told reporters in July 2026 that no vacation rental scams had been reported to them that year, so this list is a caution, not a confirmed local wave. (Source: Local news reports and City of South Lake Tahoe guidance. Status: Seasonal.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/crypto-kiosk-scams/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/crypto-kiosk-scams/Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000Crypto and InvestmentScammers call, text, or email with an urgent story, then direct victims to feed cash into a cryptocurrency kiosk at a gas station or convenience store. The Nevada Attorney General warned in June 2026 that the money is nearly impossible to trace or recover, and that older adults are hit hardest. (Source: Nevada Attorney General. Status: Active.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/law-enforcement-impersonation/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/law-enforcement-impersonation/Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000Phone and ImpersonationCallers claim to be a deputy, officer, or court official and say you missed jury duty, have an unpaid citation, or face an arrest warrant. Scammers spoof caller ID so the call appears to come from the Sheriff's Office, a local court, or Reno Police, then demand immediate payment. (Source: Washoe County Sheriff's Office and Reno Police. Status: Active.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/qr-code-quishing/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/qr-code-quishing/Fri, 08 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000Text and QR CodeA QR code on an email, letter, sticker, parking sign, or text message sends you to a fake login or payment page. Because the link is an image, some email filters miss it, and the scan happens on a personal phone that often lacks company protections. Nevada officials noted QR codes in the March 2026 fake traffic ticket messages. (Source: Nevada OEM alert and our blog. Status: Active.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/rug-pull-investment-scams/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/rug-pull-investment-scams/Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000Crypto and InvestmentCriminals recruit victims into legitimate-looking investments, often crypto tokens promoted through social media, dating apps, or messaging groups, then disappear with the money. The Sheriff's Office also runs a program with local businesses to help stop crypto fraud. (Source: Washoe County Sheriff's Office. Status: Active.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/bail-payment-scams/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/bail-payment-scams/Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000Phone and ImpersonationScammers watch publicly available information about people in custody, then contact family members claiming to be a jail, bondsman, or the detainee and demand bail money right away. The Sheriff's Office says requests for Venmo, Cash App, Bitcoin, or other digital payments are a major red flag. (Source: Washoe County Sheriff's Office. Status: Ongoing.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/fake-nevada-dmv-official-alert-text/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/fake-nevada-dmv-official-alert-text/Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000Text and QR CodeA Reno resident shared a text that calls itself a "Nevada DMV Official Alert." It claims an outstanding traffic violation on your driver record, gives a fake citation number and a deadline, threatens license suspension, registration restrictions, and fees, and points to a link that is not a Nevada government website. It arrives from a foreign number, not a DMV line. This matches the fake traffic ticket and DMV text wave that Nevada officials warned about in March 2026, and state agencies do not notify people of traffic violations by unsolicited text. (Source: Community reported. Status: Active.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/fake-traffic-ticket-texts/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/fake-traffic-ticket-texts/Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000Text and QR CodeText messages claim you have an overdue traffic ticket, a final DMV notice, or a court fine and threaten license suspension or arrest unless you pay through a link. State officials said the March 2026 messages appeared to be AI-written, blended several unrelated agencies, and used fake laws and suspicious links. (Source: Nevada Office of Emergency Management and Nevada DMV. Status: Active.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/tax-scams/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/tax-scams/Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000Business and EmailFake IRS or state tax notices, bogus tax preparers, and payroll-themed phishing emails spike around filing deadlines. Officials recommend filing early to reduce identity-theft refund fraud, and our blog documented a tax-themed campaign aimed at Reno payroll and HR staff. (Source: Washoe County Sheriff's Office and Nevada Secretary of State. Status: Seasonal.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/voice-clone-family-emergency/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/voice-clone-family-emergency/Sat, 28 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000Phone and ImpersonationA call in the voice of a grandchild, child, or boss says there has been an accident or an arrest and money is needed now. Scammers can clone a voice from a few seconds of audio taken from social media or voicemail. Nevada ranks second in the nation for senior scam risk in one 2026 analysis of FBI and FTC data, so older adults deserve extra attention. (Source: FTC guidance and our blog. Status: Active.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/fake-renewal-invoice-scams/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/fake-renewal-invoice-scams/Sun, 01 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000Business and EmailThe Sheriff's Office has warned about a scam disguised as the auto-renewal of identity theft protection or security software. Scams of this type typically claim you were charged and give a phone number to dispute it, then push you toward remote access to your computer or your bank login. (Source: Washoe County Sheriff's Office. Status: Ongoing.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/utility-imposter-scams/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/utility-imposter-scams/Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000Utilities and HomeCallers spoof NV Energy's number, threaten to cut off power within the hour, or say you must pay for a new meter or meter upgrade. NV Energy says it does not call to demand immediate payment for any reason. Small businesses are frequent targets because a shutoff threat during business hours feels real. (Source: NV Energy. Status: Ongoing.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/check-fraud-mail-theft/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/check-fraud-mail-theft/Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000Business and EmailStolen mail lets criminals wash or copy checks and steal identities. Reno Police reported a counterfeit check operation in Washoe County that used information from lost and stolen checks and ID cards to hit local businesses. The FBI warns that mail-theft-related check fraud is rising nationwide. (Source: Reno Police Department and FBI. Status: Ongoing.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/property-owner-fee-emails/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/property-owner-fee-emails/Fri, 17 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000Business and EmailProperty owners and development applicants in unincorporated Washoe County received emails, signed with the name of a Planning Commission official, saying they must pay an application approval fee to get final approval. The details came from public records, which made the emails look legitimate. Douglas County reported a similar permit fee email. (Source: Washoe County Sheriff's Office. Status: Active.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/fake-accident-ransom-calls/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/fake-accident-ransom-calls/Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000Phone and ImpersonationA Reno parent in their 60s, at work, answered a call from a local-looking number and heard a young woman sobbing that she had been in an accident and needed a pickup. A man then came on the line claiming to be the daughter's drug dealer, said she owed $50,000 and could go free for $10,000, and, when the parent hung up, called back at once and threatened violence. The parent walked to their boss's office, had the boss keep the caller talking, and reached the daughter directly, who was safe at home. The caller also knew personal details, including the daughter's unusual name spelling. The FBI calls this a virtual kidnapping: no one has actually been taken, and the caller counts on panic. (Source: Community reported. Status: Ongoing.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/fake-usps-package-texts/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/fake-usps-package-texts/Mon, 19 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000Text and QR CodeText messages that appear to come from USPS say a package cannot be delivered or that delivery needs a response from you, and ask you to follow a link and confirm personal information. The Postal Inspection Service calls this smishing. The links lead to fake sites that collect logins, card numbers, and other sensitive information, or that can install malware. Reno residents report getting these texts, and the same trick is used with other carriers. (Source: Community reported and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Status: Ongoing.)https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/fake-washoe-county-court-case-calls/https://highsierracyber.com/reported-scams/fake-washoe-county-court-case-calls/Tue, 23 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000Phone and ImpersonationReno residents report repeated calls from people who say the resident is wanted by "Washoe County" over a made-up court case. The callers skip every real legal step and usually claim they tried to reach you at your address but the message could not be delivered. One resident who pushed back by asking why legal notices were not sent by certified mail was hung up on, and about 30 minutes later the same caller phoned the resident's grandmother with the same story. The Second Judicial District Court and the Washoe County Sheriff's Office have both warned about scammers posing as court staff and deputies who demand payment to avoid arrest. (Source: Community reported. Status: Ongoing.)