The Nebraska State Patrol is urging Nebraskans to exercise caution when communicating online. In the past several weeks, NSP has received multiple reports of scammers impersonating State of Nebraska officials. One victim has reported losing $5,000 in crypto currency because of the scam.

The fraudulent scheme typically originates with a look-alike social media profile for a government official. When the scammers establish communication with a victim, the malicious actors typically move the victim to a different communication platform, such as a messaging application. The scammer then attempts to convince the victim of an authentic and secretive agreement by initiating conversations that appear to be with the state official.

The reported fraudulent schemes have promised a variety of perks, such as:

-Secretive financial grants totaling $500,000+, requiring a downpayment to receive
-Financial transactions approved by government officials
-Secretive job offers

The State of Nebraska does not use social media sites or messaging applications to exchange sensitive financial or potential employment information with individuals. Anyone interested in seeking financial resources or employment should contact the respective government entity by using the contact information provided on www.nebraska.gov.

Anyone who has been contacted, or is still in contact with a malicious actor claiming to provide a variety of the perks mentioned above, should immediately cease communication with the malicious actor. Never provide financial resources or financial information to malicious actors.  If financial information has been provided, immediately contact your financial institution and ensure your accounts are secure.

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