Is That Message Really From the Village? How to Verify Official Ruidoso Information
October 5, 2026 (RUIDOSO, NM) — October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and the Village of Ruidoso is reminding residents to be cautious of government impersonation scams and to verify unexpected communications before responding, making a payment, or providing personal information.
Scammers can use official-looking logos, familiar names, publicly available information, or urgent language to make an email, text message, phone call, social media post, or website appear legitimate.
If you receive an unexpected communication claiming to be from the Village, take a moment to verify it before responding or taking action.
Start With the Official Village Website
If a communication claims to be from the Village of Ruidoso, avoid using links, phone numbers, or other contact information provided in the message until you have verified the source.
Instead, go directly to the Village of Ruidoso’s official municipal website:
Use the website to locate the appropriate Village department, service, contact information, public notice, or other official information.
Before You Click, Pay, or Reply
A few simple precautions can help protect your personal and financial information.
Check the web address.
The Village of Ruidoso’s official municipal website is Ruidoso-NM.gov. Look carefully at unfamiliar or slightly altered web addresses before clicking a link or entering information.
Be cautious with unexpected requests.
Treat unexpected requests for money, passwords, financial information, account credentials, or personal information with caution, particularly when a message pressures you to act immediately.
Verify the sender independently.
If a message appears to come from a Village employee or department but something doesn’t seem right, use the contact information published on Ruidoso-NM.gov to contact the department directly. Do not rely solely on a phone number, email address, or link provided in the message.
Don’t let urgency make the decision for you.
Scammers may try to create pressure by suggesting that immediate action is required. Take the time to independently confirm the request before responding, providing information, or making a payment.
Confirm important information through official sources.
If you encounter information about Village services, payments, public notices, closures, projects, meetings, or other municipal matters, check Ruidoso-NM.gov or another established Village communication channel to confirm the information.
When in Doubt, Verify
Government impersonation scams can be convincing, and residents should not assume a communication is legitimate simply because it includes a familiar name, logo, or information about the Village.
When something doesn’t look right, don’t click a link, make a payment, reply, or provide personal information until you’ve verified the communication through an official Village source.
Prefer to verify by phone? Call the Village of Ruidoso at 575-258-4343 and staff can help connect you with the appropriate department.
Official Village of Ruidoso municipal website:
https://www.ruidoso-nm.gov
