State AG warns consumers about scam artists citing health care act as bait

Scam artists use the Affordable Care Act as bait in their latest fishing expedition to pry identity and financial information from consumers, according to federal officials.

"No sooner had the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the Affordable Care Act than scam artists began working the phones," warned the Federal Trade Commission in a consumer alert.

The Nevada Attorney General's Office said Monday that no complaints about this latest twist to phone scamming have been received, but "unscrupulous scammers will morph their schemes into the hot topic of the day to take advantage of unassuming Nevadans."

Jennifer Lopez, spokeswoman for Nevada's AG office, said people should stay vigilant and heed FTC warnings.

Scammers claiming to be government workers seek routing numbers from a person's bank, Social Security numbers, even credit card numbers to steal identities, run up charges and drain accounts.

The FTC emphasized that people shouldn't give out personal or financial information in response to unsolicited telephone calls, emails or other contacts with strangers.