Nye County Sheriff Anthony DeMeo has issued a public safety advisory notice against persons in the Nye County area who are impersonating federal officers.

The Nye County Sheriff's Office has received reports there are persons who are attempting to gain the trust of residents by stating they are working with federal agencies "in secret positions" or they are "special officers of a federal agency," or they simply state they work for the government, usually naming the FBI or Department of Homeland Security as the agency they purport to work for.

The public needs to be aware any officer working in a "secret position" would not divulge that information as it defeats the purpose of working in a "secret position," DeMeo said.

Also, these persons have no law enforcement or police authority.

To protect yourself, always insist on seeing the person's law enforcement identification. If they are unable to produce their law enforcement identification, ask to see their driver's license or other form of picture identification.

If you encounter anyone claiming to be such an officer, please contact the Nye County Sheriff's Office or the Federal Bureau of Investigation -- Las Vegas office.