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Grass Valley woman scammed out of $40,000, Nevada sheriff says, warning of scammers

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Updated: 2:32 PM PDT Apr 3, 2026

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After a woman was scammed out of $40,000 in cash, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office is reminding others to stay aware of those looking to trick you out of your money.The sheriff’s office said that an elderly Grass Valley woman received a text message that appeared to come from a bank branch she uses. The text claimed that she was possibly facing out-of-state fraud charges on her account.In response to that claim, the sheriff’s office said the woman replied, saying she did not make the charges. The scammer then called her and told her that her account was compromised.After the phone call, the woman went to multiple banking locations at the request of the scammer, removing money from her account, ultimately resulting in her losing the $40,000.Following this case, the sheriff’s office provided some tips to help prevent scams.Protect personal information and do not share personal information with unsolicited callers or messagesBe skeptical of unexpected calls or messages claiming an account is locked or compromised and to not trust links and phone numbers providedIf someone is claiming to represent a bank, hang up and contact your bank directly using only the number listed on your card or on the bank’s official website. Keep in mind caller ID can be manipulatedCarefully check emails and websites for subtle misspellings to avoid phishing and to never provide login information through links sent in messagesVerify the legitimacy of urgent financial requests before making any immediate transfers or gift card purchases as they are common scam tactics.Regularly check bank statements for any unauthorized activityTrust your instincts if something feels suspicious or unusualReport fraud to your bank and the Federal Trade Commission.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

GRASS VALLEY, Calif. —

After a woman was scammed out of $40,000 in cash, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office is reminding others to stay aware of those looking to trick you out of your money.

The sheriff’s office said that an elderly Grass Valley woman received a text message that appeared to come from a bank branch she uses. The text claimed that she was possibly facing out-of-state fraud charges on her account.

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In response to that claim, the sheriff’s office said the woman replied, saying she did not make the charges. The scammer then called her and told her that her account was compromised.

After the phone call, the woman went to multiple banking locations at the request of the scammer, removing money from her account, ultimately resulting in her losing the $40,000.

Following this case, the sheriff’s office provided some tips to help prevent scams.

• Protect personal information and do not share personal information with unsolicited callers or messages
• Be skeptical of unexpected calls or messages claiming an account is locked or compromised and to not trust links and phone numbers provided
• If someone is claiming to represent a bank, hang up and contact your bank directly using only the number listed on your card or on the bank’s official website. Keep in mind caller ID can be manipulated
• Carefully check emails and websites for subtle misspellings to avoid phishing and to never provide login information through links sent in messages
• Verify the legitimacy of urgent financial requests before making any immediate transfers or gift card purchases as they are common scam tactics.
• Regularly check bank statements for any unauthorized activity
• Trust your instincts if something feels suspicious or unusual
• Report fraud to your bank and the Federal Trade Commission.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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Nevada’s June primary is likely to be a low-turnout affair, but there should be high interest in a few statewide races.

Start with the race for attorney general on the Democratic side. Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro is running against Treasurer Zach Conine. It’s unusual for two high-profile Democrats to face each other. You can hear the remnants of the Reid machine groaning.

As Senate majority leader, Cannizzaro has more power. But as a statewide elected official, Conine has a bigger profile. Nevada Democrats who lived here in 2022 have likely already voted for him. It may not seem like much, but that matters.

Cannizzaro has leveraged her position to gain a slew of endorsements and amass a substantial war chest. At the end of last year, she had more than $800,000 cash on hand. Conine had around $650,000 in the bank. That’s sizable. He has some notable endorsements, including Rep. Dina Titus.

Republicans also have a contested race for attorney general. Douglas County Commissioner Danny Tarkanian, the son of legendary UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, is running. So is Adriana Guzmán Fralick, who previously served as chief deputy district attorney for Carson City.

A recent poll showed that Tarkanian has a substantial lead, 55–17. Even if you are skeptical of polling promoted by campaigns, this makes sense given his last name and previous runs in Southern Nevada.

Guzmán Fralick recently called for current Attorney General Aaron Ford to sue Gov. Gavin Newsom. She wants “to halt the implementation of California’s fuel supply regulations that directly harm Nevada.”

That is a terrific idea. How many Republican primary voters will find out about it is yet to be determined. Gov. Joe Lombardo has endorsed Guzmán Fralick, but I believe she’ll need more substantial outside help to be competitive.

There’s more at stake here than just stopping a Democrat attorney general from repeatedly suing the Trump administration. If Cannizzaro or Conine wins the general election, either would be well positioned to run for governor in 2030 or 2034.

Republicans have a contested primary for state treasurer. Drew Johnson is a rock-solid fiscal conservative who lost heartbreaking races in 2022 and 2024. His wife, Sarah Johnson, was instrumental in the successful effort to keep boys out of girls’ high school sports. That was one of the biggest conservative victories in Nevada in decades. I believe Democrats defunded her position in the lieutenant governor’s office over her work on this.

The other GOP candidate for treasurer is Jeff Carter, who came to Nevada from Chicago after a long and impressive career in finance. He should have run on his resume, but this year, Carter took a nasty personal swipe at Sarah Johnson. He demeaned her infertility and the price she paid for protecting women’s sports. Those types of attacks may play well in Chicago, but they’re gross. Carter should apologize.

It’ll be a long shot for a Republican to win the secretary of state race, but nominating Jim Marchant would be a major own goal.

Primaries matter, so make sure you vote.

Contact Victor Joecks at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com. Follow @victorjoecks on X.

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada and the State of Nevada Bar partnered with Channel 13 for our first Let’s Talk Ask a Lawyer phone bank on Wednesday.

Four pro-bono attorneys took calls for two hours — and nearly 800 people in the valley called in.

WATCH | Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada shares insight following phone bank

Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada shares insight following phone bank

The volunteer lawyers at Legal Aid can help with lots of different issues if you’re a renter here in Southern Nevada.

“Last year, our organization helped right around 200,000 people,” said the program’s Michael Wendlberger. “It’s a number that’s going to continue to grow.”

They shared information with Channel 13 to help tenants across the area.

The top three key common topics we heard from callers?

1. Lease terms
2. Eviction process
3. Paying rent without extra fees

Wendlberger also shared that tenants experiencing an issue with their homes should notify their landlords immediately in writing, and wait for them to fix the problem within 48 hours.

For tenant’s rights information from LACSN click here.

To sign up for a call with a lawyer to talk about an issue, click here.

Missed out on this month’s event? Channel 13 will be hosting at Ask A Lawyer phone bank the first Wednesday of each month going forward. If you want to weigh in on the next topic we should tackle, click here.