RICHMOND, Va. — The Richmond City Sheriff’s Office is voicing concerns about a rise in scammers who claim to be law enforcement and try to steal your money.
Richmond Sheriff Antoinette Irving said the scam has gotten out of hand over the past few days.
The scammers call claiming to be from the Sheriff’s Office and say you missed a court appearance or had a summons to appear for a grand jury. They’ll sometimes even say you have a warrant out for your arrest or have a failure to appear in court, according to Irving.
“They have our names, they have our phone numbers, they have badge numbers, they have an answering machine that says Richmond City Sheriff’s Office,” said Irving. “They have all of that when you call, and people are really getting a little jittery.”
Sheriff Irving said the scammer will then explain to you over the phone that instead of being arrested or having to come to the Sheriff’s Office to pay a fine, you can fulfill your payment through a Visa gift card.
Several people have fallen for this, according to the Sheriff’s Office.