LAS VEGAS, Nev. – On Tuesday, June 16, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada and FBI Las Vegas Field Office will participate in a statewide telephonic town hall hosted by AARP Nevada to discuss fraud schemes related to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with tips on how to avoid becoming a victim.

The June 16 event is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. PDT. During the town hall, U.S. Attorney Nicholas Trutanich and FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ray Johnson will go over common scams and provide prevention tips. Following those presentations, callers may ask questions to a panel including an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Supervisory Special Agent.

Statistics collected by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center show that victims of all ages lost over $3.5 billion to fraud in 2019, with victims over the age of 60 accounting for $835 million of those losses. So far this year, from January 1 through June 9, the Federal Trade Commission has received 67,805 reports about fraud related to COVID-19, corresponding to $49.43 million in losses.

AARP’s 340,000 members, and members of the community at large, may take part in the telephonic town hall on Tuesday morning. Instead of using a phone to dial into the town hall, AARP and community members can also participate online by going to the AARP Nevada Facebook page at facebook.com/aarpnv. 

During the current health crisis, federal investigators and prosecutors continue to fulfill their critical mission of protecting public safety. Federal officials have prioritized the disruption, investigation, and prosecution of crimes related to COVID-19, including fraudulent schemes, unapproved treatments, and scams related to stimulus money.

If you or someone you know have been the victim of COVID-19 related fraud, please make a report to the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline by calling 1-866-720-5721 or by the NCDF web complaint form at www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm. You can also report it to the FBI at www.ic3.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Nevadans can also call AARP’s Fraud Watch Network helpline at 1-877-908-3360 to report a scam. You can also find tip sheets and sign up for fraud alerts at the Fraud Watch Network site, www.aarp.org/fraud.

To find out more about Department of Justice resources and information, please visit: www.justic.gov/coronavirus. AARP has resources and information at www.aarp.org/coronavirus.

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