DATE & TIME:                                    04-16-2025 / 10:00 am

LOCATION:                                        Firth (Gage County), Nebraska

OFFENSE:                                           Theft by Deception ($500.00-$1,500.00)

CASE #:                                               2025-1682

DETAILS:

A resident of northern Gage County outside of Firth called the Gage County Sheriff’s Office to report they had been scammed out of a little over $1,000.00 by a suspect from Facebook Marketplace.

The victims were mislead into believing the suspect owned a house in Bennet, Nebraska and was going to rent the house to them at a low rate.  After leading the victims on with text messages and fake documents, they were deceived into making payments for an application fee, a security deposit, and half a month’s rent.  The suspect never had any right to the property and when the victims went to the home to take possession, the suspect never showed up.

Money was sent to the suspect via a banking app.

The Gage County Sheriff’s Office urges people to use extreme caution and diligence when making financial transactions of any kind.  The best advice is to not send money to anyone you do not know personally or were directed to by your bank or financial institution.  Do not succumb to pressures, threats, or requirements for secrecy or urgency.  If you believe you are being scammed, call your local law enforcement agency for assistance.

 

Sheriff Millard “Gus” Gustafson #903
Sergeant T. Hanson #90310