Local law enforcement is warning residents of a recent phone scam after a Kuttawa resident suffered substantial financial loss when a caller, posing as a cellular agent, gained access to her personal information.
Lyon County Sheriff Brent White says his office received a report from a Kuttawa woman around 8:00 a.m. Thursday, February 19th, she was initially contacted by phone by an individual who claimed to be a Verizon cellular agent. Having recently purchased a new phone, he says the victim believed the call was related to her recent purchase.
The victim told authorities that the caller said they would send a link to her phone, which the victim received and clicked. Sheriff White reports that, after clicking the link, the scammer gained control of her phone and was able to withdraw thousands of dollars from her bank account, which she accessed through a banking app on her phone. He says the victim’s phone was then placed into SOS mode, preventing her from stopping or controlling its functions.
Sheriff White reminds everyone to always be cautious and verify caller identities before sharing personal information or clicking on any links sent to your device.
