Debt collection fraud is the most common scam affecting Las Vegas consumers. The scammers contact the unsuspecting person acting as legitimate debt collectors and threaten lawsuits and/or negative credit reporting. Other common debt collection scams include someone posing as an IRS or government agent demanding money or personal information to be used to steal the consumer’s identity.
 
If you receive collection calls, you should demand that the debt collector identify themselves and provide contact information for the collection company for which they are employed. Additionally, you should tell the collector you will not discuss the account without written validation in the mail listing the original creditor and the amount of the debt.
 
If you are a victim of illegal debt collection scams or harassing collections, you should contact a Las Vegas debt collection lawyer to protect your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. There is no out-of-pocket expense for the consumer because the collectors who violate the statute are required to pay your attorney’s fees and costs along with possible statutory damages if you prevail.
 
Source:https://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/8-on-your-side-most-common-scam-in-nevada-deals-with-debt-collection/1263522424
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Las Vegas residents are being targeted by identity thieves and scammers acting as Clark County officials. The scammers advise consumers that they have an arrest warrant for failure to appear for a jury summons. The crooks then seek to have the victim pay for the “fine” by providing their credit card information or loading a pre-paid credit card.

It is important for Las Vegas residents to know the Clark County court system will never call a resident to solicit money or personal information. Beware of emails or calls that appear to be jury summonses and ask for personal banking information or Social Security numbers.

If you are a victim of identity theft or illegal scams like this one, you should report the crime to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the Nevada Attorney General’s office. You should also review your credit reports with a Las Vegas identity theft lawyer to ensure there are no fraudulent loans or other false information on your credit profiles.

Source: https://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/jury-scam-targets-clark-county-residents/1254432101 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada announced Tuesday that Virab Torosyan was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison for using skimming devices at gas pumps to steal consumer’s credit card information. Mr. Torosyan, who previously pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft, was ordered to pay over $40,000 in restitution. Both the U.S. Secret Service and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated the identity theft and credit card scheme.

Federal court records reveal that Mr. Torosyan obtained over 1,600 stolen credit card and debit card account numbers, which he used to re-encode on blank plastic cards with magnetic strips. He then used these stolen cards to make illegal purchases in the Las Vegas and North Las Vegas areas.

This case highlights the ongoing need for Las Vegas consumers to protect their credit card and debit card information to avoid having this sensitive information taken by identity thieves and scammers. If possible, avoid using public ATM’s and gas station kiosks as these are easy targets for identity thieves.

​If you are a victim of identity theft or credit skimming, you should seek protection with a Las Vegas identity theft lawyer or Las Vegas credit attorney. Representation is free of charge because the banks and credit bureaus are required to compensate you for your attorney’s fees and costs.
 
Source: https://lasvegassun.com/news/2018/jun/12/man-gets-2-years-in-skimming-credit-card-info-thef/
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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) released a new report entitled “Complaint Snapshot: Debt Collection,” which provides US consumer complaint data as of April 1, 2018. According to the report, the CFPB handled over 30,000 debt collection complaints in March 2018, and debt collection comprised 27% of the total complaints to the bureau (others concerned mortgage lenders and credit reports). The report also found that 37% of complaints to the bureau concerned credit reporting errors. The most common concerns lodged with the CFPB related to attempts to collect debts not owed by the consumer, collection without written notification, and/or using illegal communication tactics.
 
This report demonstrates that illegal debt collection tactics and credit errors continue to plague US consumers, including those living here in Las Vegas. If you are experiencing illegal debt collection tactics or credit reporting errors, you should hire a Las Vegas credit lawyer to represent you. Often this legal representation is free of charge because federal law requires the creditors and credit bureaus to cover your attorney's fees and costs.
 
Source: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/cfpb-issues-snapshot-of-debt-collection-87297/

A former University of Wisconsin employee is accused of stealing over $100,000 using fake companies and fraudulent checks. The former employee, Kevin O’Donnell, has been charged with identity theft, forgery, and theft during his time as a purchasing manager at the university. Mr. O’Donnell allegedly forged payments resembling housing refunds for students that were made out to himself. In Philadelphia, another college employee allegedly stole over $200,000 by taking tax payments and failing to post the payments to the proper account.
 
These recent examples show the lengths identity thieves will go to take consumer’s information and money. If you attend college or university here in Las Vegas, or anywhere in Nevada, it is important to keep your personal information secure and to report any suspicious activity immediately. If you are a victim of identity theft or fraud, you should hire a Las Vegas identity theft lawyer to protect your legal rights.

Source: https://www.pymnts.com/news/b2b-payments/2018/higher-education-fake-checks-fraud/ 

A new Harris poll shows increased fear of identity theft and financial loss among US consumers. The poll finds that 48% of US adults believe identity theft will cause them financial losses in the next year. 81% of respondents are concerned that businesses will be unable to protect their personal and financial data.
 
These new fears are well-founded in light of the recent Equifax data breach and the rise in instances of identity theft and fraud throughout the US, including here in Las Vegas. To protect yourself, it is important to pull your credit report at least once a year from annualcreditreport.com and review the reports thoroughly to make sure there are no fraudulent accounts or inquiries.
 
If you find fraudulent or inaccurate credit information, you must alert the credit bureaus either online or via certified mail of the errors and provide a police report. You should also request a fraud alert or credit freeze to prevent future damage.
 
If the bureaus and lenders fail to update your credit reports after 30 days from your credit dispute, you should hire a Las Vegas identity theft lawyer to represent you free of charge. The fees and costs associated with your case are paid by the defendants if you prevail. You may also obtain reimbursement for any damages you suffer, including compensation for loan denials and loss of credit limits.
 
Source: https://www.dataprivacyandsecurityinsider.com/2018/05/aicpa-survey-shows-u-s-adults-worried-about-identity-theft-and-financial-fraud-and-concerned-businesses-cant-protect-their-data/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DataPrivacyAndSecurityInsider+%28Data+Privacy+%2B+Security+Insider%29

On May 7, Equifax’s executives submitted a statement to the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) describing the extent of the consumer data breach that occurred in September of 2017. Equifax described that millions of pieces of personal data were compromised, including social security numbers, names, dates of birth, and driver’s licenses. The report also details over 180,000 consumer credit report disputes related to identity theft and inaccuracies in consumer credit reports.
 
According to the report, the stolen information came from a collection of databases linked to Equifax’s payment systems and web applications. The sensitive personal information compromised from these databases exposes consumers to identity theft, “spear fishing” (fake emails used to access consumer’s personal data on their computer), and telephone scams.
 
To protect yourself from the negative effects of the Equifax data breach, make sure to pull your most recent credit reports from www.annualcreditreport.com and review the reports carefully for any inaccuracies or fraudulent credit information. If any of these banks and credit bureaus fail to update the inaccurate information, you should hire a Las Vegas identity theft lawyer to represent you. It is also important to initiate fraud alerts on your reports and to notify the appropriate governmental entities.

Lawsuits related to identity theft and inaccuracies in a credit report can be brought free of charge because federal law requires the banks and credit bureaus to cover your attorney’s fees and costs as part of your case. You may also receive compensation for actual damages (loan denials, etc.) and statutory damages of up to $1,000.
 
Source: http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/386664-equifax-sends-more-details-on-massive-data-breach-to-congress

The Eighth Circuit recently found that consumers must prove a debt collector’s false statement was material to violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”). In applying this standard, the Eighth Circuit joined five other federal circuit courts, including the Ninth Circuit, which encompasses Nevada and California, among other states.
 
The case involved a lawsuit against the consumer for an unpaid medical debt that the collector purchased from the medical provider. In the underlying case, the consumer challenged the documents supporting the lawsuit, and the court ruled in the consumer’s favor. The consumer then sued the medical collector for violating the FDCPA by making false statements and threatening to take action that cannot be legally taken. The Eighth Circuit found that a debt collector’s loss of a collection action, in and of itself, does not establish a violation of federal debt collection laws.
 
This case illustrates the importance of hiring an experienced Las Vegas debt collection attorney to review and analyze your case. It also demonstrates that claims against debt collectors must be vetted to ensure they comply with federal law and precedent to avoid dismissal as occurred in this matter.

Source: Hill v. Accounts Receivable Services, LLC, No. 16-4356 (8th Cir. 2018)

In recently filed disclosures, Equifax indicated it has spent $163.1 million related to the 2017 data breach that exposed personal data of U.S. consumers leading to an increased risk of identity theft, including those living here in Las Vegas and Henderson. This figure includes legal and remediation costs, along with over $50 million to offer free credit monitoring and identity theft services to U.S. consumers.
 
Equifax further disclosed that it expects to incur significant costs in the future, including legal expenses, investments in IT, and regulatory costs. The costs to Equifax concerning the data breach and related identity theft issues will likely exceed those incurred during other data breaches in the past.
 
Source: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/equifax-breach-costs-stack-up-13723/