LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Lynchburg Sheriff’s Office is sharing a warning after several people living in the area were scammed out of thousands of dollars.
Authorities say they’re receiving multiple reports a day of fraudsters calling, claiming that person missed jury duty or has an active arrest warrant.
Scammers are able to make the call look like it’s coming from the Sheriff’s Office and are asking for payments in gift cards.
Authorities say elderly people are falling for it. One woman gave up $10,000 and another gave up $2,000 and there’s no way of getting it back.
“The Lynchburg Sheriff’s Office, nor the Lynchburg Police Department, nor state police, no law enforcement agency is going to contact you and let you know they’re on their way to arrest you,” Sgt. Todd Hunley says. “They’re certainly not going to tell you to give them money to keep from going to jail.”
Sgt. Hunley says these types of scams seem to circle back every few months.
He adds if a person has any doubts, hang up the phone and call local law enforcement directly. State police ask victims to call the FTC at 877-382-4357.