NCSO: Woman loses $600 after scammer poses as Federal Trade Commission agent

CASPER, Wyo. — Here are some details on a few of the calls taken by the Natrona County Sheriff’s Office over the weekend. Information was provided by NCSO spokesperson Kiera Hett in a meeting with Oil City News on Monday morning.

Fraud — Saturday, March 29

A woman in her 70s called to report a fraud. She had received an email appearing to be a $600 bill from Norton AntiVirus software, which the woman said she’d never signed up for. She called and spoke to a supposed representative from the company, who said it was a scam and transferred her to a supposed Federal Trade Commission agent.

This FTC “officer” told the woman she needed to pay $600 “to clear her name,” Hett said, reading from the report. Payment was requested in the form of Walmart gift cards and she complied. She was also instructed to download the AnyDesk app, which allowed the scammers to load apps on her phone and compromise its functionality.

Hett said the request for payment in gift cards in usually a red flag for a scam, as most legitimate agencies have advised they will never ask for that form of payment.

She said such scams have become so common that cashiers are advised to be on the lookout for customers who may be on the phone with scammers guiding them through the purchases in real time.

People can report fraud on technology platforms on the Federal Trade Commission’s government website.

Citizen Complaint — Friday, March 28; Buck Creek Road

A resident called to complain about “incessant speeding” on the gravel roads in the area. Extra patrol have been assigned for the next few weeks.

Fire Assist — 11:55 a.m. Saturday, March 29; Casper Reentry Center

Deputies responded to CRC to assist after the facility was evacuated. The fire alarm reportedly went off while residents were cooking lunch.

Reddi — 10:25 p.m. Saturday, March 29; Sunset Bar and Grill, Alcova

A caller said they saw someone who appeared to be drunk sitting in a vehicle parked at the bar. The Alcova resident deputy drove the area, eventually finding the vehicle parked behind the bar with no one in it, the engine cool to the touch.

“Illegal Burning” — 1:12 p.m. Sunday, March 30; Squaw Creek Road

A caller said their neighbor was burning trees and hadn’t gotten a permit like the caller does, reportedly. The Natrona County Fire District took over the call for service.