The Covington Division of Police wants community members to be aware of a phone scam that is currently active in our area.
Officers have received reports from community members who stated that callers contact them claiming to be members of our police department.
The law enforcement impersonator often times:
1. Refers to the community member by name,
2. Gives general information of the community member to make the call seem legitimate
3. Tells the community member the call is being recorded,
The caller’s intent is to get the community member to send money or gain access to sensitive information. They will make claims that the community member:
1. Has a warrant out for their arrest,
2. Has had their identity stolen, and
3. Most recent, they claimed the victim had 2 open warrants for her to appear in court for taxes that she owed. He said that if she paid $3,000.00 to him this would satisfy what she owed and she wouldn’t have to go to court.
Sometimes scams such as these will include spoofing a legitimate police agency phone number and using a real name of a law enforcement officer in an attempt to gain the trust of the victim. No government agency of any kind takes gift cards as payment.
The Covington Division of Police reminds you to be aware that:
1. The Covington Division of Police does not call individuals and demand or request money from community members under any circumstances.
2. The Covington Division of Police or any other legitimate law enforcement agency does not call community members seeking payment for outstanding traffic citations or warrants. This includes claims of unpaid federal or state taxes.
3. Individuals claiming to collect debts may try to instill fear in potential victims to persuade them to forward money.
4. MoneyPak/Green Dot and Vanilla Reload have online tools to allow purchasers to request a refund if the scammer has not yet cashed the card.
If you are a resident of Covington and fall victim to these scammers with financial loss, you are encouraged to file a report by calling the Covington Division of Police Non-Emergency line at (540) 965-3333.
Tips to help avoid becoming a victim to this scam include:
1. Never give personal or financial information to an unsolicited caller or email.
2. Be suspicious of callers who demand immediate payment for any reason.
3. Stay private. Regularly update privacy settings for social media sites. Scammers often make their stories more believable by trolling for personal information on Facebook, Twitter and similar sites.
4. Utility companies and government agencies will never contact you for payment by GreenDot, MoneyPak or Vanilla Reload.
5. Remember that anyone who has the number on a prepaid card has access to the funds on your card.
6. Never wire money, provide debit or credit card numbers to a stranger.
If you receive a similar call, disconnect without providing any information or taking any instructions from the caller. Contact your local law enforcement agency.
For more information, visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Scam Alert website www.consumer.ftc.gov/scam-alerts
*Note: Per the Virginian Review’s telphone call to City of Covington Police Department the amount was $300.00.