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SCAM: Crooks pretending to be from Publishers' Clearing House Sweepstakes say that you have won a money prize. But you have to wire them money, either from your bank account or by certified check, to claim the prize. When you send the money, they "up the stakes", by claiming you have won a bigger prize. But you need to send more money to get the prize money.

REALITY! Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes and other competition-based games never ask for money "to pay taxes" up front before you get your prize.

SCAM. You get a phone call from the phone company, telephone, water, or gas company - usually on a Friday or weekend. They say that you are in default and owe money. If the money is not paid your telephone, light, water, or gas will get shut off. They ask for a credit card or bank information so that you can pay a part of the amount to keep the service running.

REALITY! Utility and phone companies usually send you several notices with dates when your service will be turned off for non-payment. A phone call "out of blue" is suspect. Also the Boulder City Utility Office is closed on Friday and weekends. A call during those times is also suspect. Do not pay anything over the phone to these scammers.

Telemarketers are NOT nice people even if they call you by your first name and ask "how are you doing today!" You do not need to feel sorry for them however nice they seem. They are there to sell you something or to get information. You are not being rude by simply hanging up on them. You can ask them to put your number on their "Do Not Call List" and they have to do this by law. You may have to talk to a supervisor to confirm this. Or you can sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry by clicking on the link below. You will notice a reduction in telemarketing calls in a few weeks.