Authorities warn of phone scam

State officials are warning of a possible telephone swindle in which callers present themselves as Nevada Gaming Control Board agents in an attempt to bilk thousands of dollars from unsuspecting victims.

According to Keith Copher of the chief enforcement division of the Gaming Control Board, a caller tells victims they are finalists in a drawing to "take place soon" for millions of dollars in cash.

The caller will then tell the victims they must pay certain fees and taxes, before a second call confirms the victim has won the drawing and asks for an amount of money equal to up to 31 percent of the alleged winnings. The cash is to be sent through Western Union telegraph for alleged "federal withholding" tax on the winnings, Copher said.

"In at least one instance involving a hesitant victim in Texas, the callers identified themselves by using the names of both the chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Nevada Gaming Commission," he said.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Department warns of a similar scam here in which elderly residents are asked to send a money gram as a processing fee for a cash prize.

"We investigated a case wherein a caller stated the above and requested the victim send a money gram to an address in Ontario, Canada," Sgt. Tim Minister said.

"Many people (have fallen victim) in about 10 different states, plus England and Canada," Copher said. "We've had one victim here in (Searchlight) Nevada." Victims have lost as much as $5,000 to $10,000.

Copher said the Gaming Board has been working with Canadian law enforcement and the Nevada Attorney's General's Office to stop the scam artists.

"We're working on tracing these guys. We know they are in Canada, and we are getting pretty close," he said.

Anyone who is approached by someone in this manner is asked to call the Enforcement Division at (702) 486-2020 or the Attorney General's Office at (775) 687-6300.