Telephone scams have been on the rise and the Giles County Sherriff’s Office wants to help.
Here are four common scams and tips to avoid them:
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If someone calls you through WhatsApp posing as a police officer, don’t fall for their tricks. The Giles County Sheriff’s Office wants you to know that a deputy would never call asking for money or to clear arrest warrants.
Even if the caller ID shows a Virginia State Police phone number, still be skeptical because a caller ID is not always accurate.
Watch out for scammers claiming that your has been identity has been stolen, that you have a warrant for arrest or that you need to send money immediately for the charges to be cleared. Do not give out your credit card number or banking information over the phone under any circumstances.
Another major red flag to keep an eye out for is someone asking for a money transfer or for you to buy or send gift cards. The Giles County Sheriff’s Office said that deputies will never ask for payments through gift cards.
If you suspect someone is a scammer, report them to the Federal Trade Commission.
