Kuttawa Woman Loses Thousands in Phone Scam

Lyon County Sheriff warns residents to be cautious of caller impersonating cellular agent

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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A Kuttawa, Kentucky resident suffered substantial financial loss after a caller posing as a Verizon cellular agent gained access to her personal information and bank account. The scammer was able to withdraw thousands of dollars from the victim's account after she clicked on a link sent to her phone, which then placed the device in SOS mode, preventing her from stopping or controlling its functions.

Why it matters

Phone scams targeting individuals' personal and financial information are an ongoing issue, with scammers constantly evolving their tactics. This incident highlights the need for heightened vigilance among residents to verify caller identities and avoid clicking on suspicious links, especially when it comes to sensitive personal and financial data.

The details

According to Lyon County Sheriff Brent White, the victim received a call around 8:00 a.m. on February 19th from an individual claiming to be a Verizon cellular agent. The caller said they would send a link to the victim's phone, which she received and clicked. After clicking the link, the scammer gained control of the victim's phone and was able to withdraw thousands of dollars from her bank account through a banking app on the device. The victim's phone was then placed into SOS mode, preventing her from stopping or controlling its functions.

  • The incident occurred around 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 19th, 2026.

The players

Lyon County Sheriff Brent White

The sheriff of Lyon County, Kentucky who received the report from the victim and is warning residents about the phone scam.

Kuttawa resident

The victim of the phone scam who lost thousands of dollars from her bank account after the scammer gained control of her phone.

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What they’re saying

“Sheriff White reminds everyone to always be cautious and verify caller identities before sharing personal information or clicking on any links sent to your device.”

— Brent White, Lyon County Sheriff (wpkyonline.com)

What’s next

The Lyon County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident and urging residents to be vigilant about phone scams targeting personal and financial information.

The takeaway

This case underscores the importance of exercising extreme caution when receiving unsolicited calls or messages, even if they appear to be from legitimate businesses or organizations. Verifying the caller's identity and avoiding clicking on suspicious links can help protect against financial losses from phone scams.