SCAMS

Henry County Sheriff Wayne Davis is warning citizens of contractor scams after storms left many homes and vehicles damaged last week.

Sheriff Lane Perry with the Henry County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents of an ongoing phone scam.

The BBB says the best way to avoid tax scams to is file early and watch out for red flags.

TRIAD is a program made up of local law enforcement, senior citizens and agencies that focus on protecting seniors from crime.

Attorney General Jason Miyares toured where the organization serves hot meals, offers a safe place for kids to hang out and resources for teen parents.

With many organizations asking for donations on Giving Tuesday, it is important to make sure you are not getting scammed.

On Tuesday, Miyares announced that Virginia is joining a nationwide Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force.The force’s purpose is to investigate and take legal action against the telecommunications companies responsible for bringing a majority of foreign robocalls into the United States, according to the release.

Virginia State Police is warning residents of phone scams targeting sex offenders in the area.

On Thursday, the Better Business Bureau serving Western VA released a statement warning Buchanan County flooding victims about people looking to take advantage of those who need help following Tuesday’s storms.

If you are searching for baby formula online, beware of the scams lurking on the web.

As the crisis in eastern Europe continues, you may feel compelled to donate to charities in an effort to help Ukraine, but the Better Business Bureau wants to make sure your money is going to the right places.

There’s still a few weeks left of summer and if you’re planning a last-minute vacation, the Better Business Bureau Serving Western Virginia is warning against vacation rental scams.

Some Americans may have already received a second stimulus check, but these COVID-19 relief payments can also lead to scams. According to the Better Business Bureau, beware of texts, calls or emails asking for you to verify personal information to get your $600 check. There are only two ways you’ll receive it, and both depend on how you got your 2019 tax returns. A common stimulus check scam is an email or message asking you to click on a link for a bogus application to get your payment. For more on what to lookout for and what to do if you come in contact with a scam, click here.

ROANOKE, Va. – You may have already seen it in your email or Facebook timeline, but the “Secret Sister Gift Exchange” scam is back. This is an example of an invite to join the Secret Sister Gift Exchange, a pyramid scheme illegal in the U.S. (Copyright 2020 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved.) The status welcomes you to join the Secret Sister Gift Exchange where you buy a $10 or more gift and receive 6-36 gifts in return. According to Wheeler, the Secret Sister Gift Exchange scam has been around since 2015 and returns every year during the holidays. You will receive little to no money back on your “investment” or gift exchange.

DANVILLE, Va. Pay close attention to whos calling you and what they say because you might just get your credit card number stolen. The city of Danville is warning people about a scam where customers receive a call and someone threatens to disconnect their utilities within 30 minutes if they do not pay immediately. The scammers are calling people using local numbers disguised as Danville Utilities in hopes of stealing debit or credit card information. Danville Utilities does not make phone calls to customers about disconnects. If you receive a call from someone urging you to make a payment to Danville Utilities, write down the phone number and call 434-799-5125 to report the incident.