In honor of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we encourage you to take a few extra steps in securing your personal information online.
According to the FBI, approximately 16,000 Nevadans were targeted by online scams last year.
Anyone who has a computer is susceptible to online scams. Cybersecurity experts share that cybercriminals target individuals to make unauthorized moves like getting into their accounts and making transactions.
Experts recommend calling law enforcement right away. If you think that you have fallen for a scam, the sooner you contact law enforcement, the better.
A resident from Reno recently reported to the BBB Scam Tracker their experience with a cybersecurity scam:
"I received a warning on my computer. The Windows Defender had blocked my computer from use and the Internet. The warning had a number listed that I could call to unblock my computer. The person I spoke to said my IP address had been compromised.
"Afterward, he asked me to download a file so he can access my computer and charged me $429.95. I called a friend of mine who advised me this was a scam and to call my bank immediately, which I did. I asked them to cancel the payment I made and I asked to close my bank account. I also changed all my passwords to all my accounts.
I also removed any software from my computer and will have it scanned."
To report a cybercrime or any individuals you suspect of committing cybercrimes, you can file a report to law enforcement by visiting Renopd.com/report.
If you get a message asking you to call a certain number to fix a computer issue, it is probably a scam. You can protect yourself from cybercrimes by doing a few things to protect your information online, such as, using anti-virus protection and firewall on your computer, using strong passwords or a password management tool, and monitoring your online accounts regularly, as few examples.
