scam

Arlington authorities warn of ‘currently circulating’ phone scam

By ARLnow.com
An iPhone (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

It’s an older phone scam, but it’s still active and is currently targeting Arlington residents.

The police department and the Sheriff’s Office are “warning the community about a common and reoccurring nationwide telephone scam currently circulating in Arlington.”

The jury duty scam tries to convince the person answering the call that they’re in trouble with the law.

“Several community members have reported receiving voicemail messages from an individual claiming to be a Lieutenant with the Sheriff’s Office wanting to discuss an urgent legal matter,” ACPD said Tuesday morning.

More from a press release:

In these types of scams, callers will pose as local law enforcement and contact victims accusing them of failing to appear for jury duty and stating a warrant for their arrest will be issued unless a fine is paid. Payment is often requested in the form of gift cards and the scammer will ask the victim to provide the gift card numbers over the phone.

As a reminder, the Arlington County Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office will never call to solicit funds or collect fines over the phone. Additionally, juror summonses are sent through the mail and communication through other mediums should be considered suspicious.

Be aware that scammers may spoof, a process of deliberately falsifying the information transmitted to your caller ID display, phone numbers of law enforcement or government agencies in an effort to disguise their identity and appear legitimate. If you receive a call of this nature, immediately hang up with the caller and verify the claim by calling the law enforcement agency directly. Never use a phone number provided to you from the caller to verify their credibility. To verify information regarding law enforcement in Arlington County, contact the Emergency Communications Center at 703-558-2222.

For additional financial crimes information, visit our website. If you were the target or victim of a scam in Arlington County, please file an online police report.

Arlington couple sounds alarm on internet rental scam

By James Jarvis
1/3

When Penrose resident Pete Giannino answered his doorbell one day this March, he was surprised to see his neighbors standing there, looking concerned.

“They said, ‘Hey, are you guys planning on renting your home?’ And I said, ‘No. Why do you ask?’ And they pointed out there was a listing on Zillow or Redfin for our home that we own,” Giannino told ARLnow.

Now, the local couple is sounding the alarm on an internet rental scam falsely advertising that their 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home on the 600 block of S. Wayne Street is on the market. They say the scam appears to target people who are lower-income or who speak limited English and has defrauded several people and families.

In the last six months, Giannino and his wife, Kate Colwell, said upwards of 20 people have come to their door asking to tour the house while another half-dozen have contacted them via social media. They say the home is listed as available for rent, for $2,400 a month, on real estate and social media platforms, including Zillow and Facebook.

Giannino and his wife have gotten many fraudulent listings removed from mainstream real estate websites. Despite seeking help from law enforcement, they’ve struggled to eliminate listings on Facebook Marketplace, where scammers continue messaging potential renters.

“We’re just really angry that this person on the internet is cheating people, stealing from people,” Colwell said. “There’s no accountability and we really want them to be stopped.”

Rental scam depicting house on S. Wayne Street on Facebook Marketplace (courtesy Kate Colwell)

Giannino and Colwell are convinced they are not the only ones to whom this is happening. When Giannino filed a police report in late March, an Arlington County Police Department detective told the couple he had heard of similar scams happening to other newer homeowners in the area.

On April 5, Giannino said he got his hopes up after the detective said the department’s financial crimes unit would handle the case. About a month later, he got a letter in the mail from the police department stating that their case was closed.

The department did not immediately respond to ARLnow’s request for comment.

“In a rage, I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’And just like, I threw it away because I was just so upset by the fact that they were turning a blind eye to this,” he said.

Meanwhile, strangers asking to tour their home continue knocking on their door. So far, Giannino and Colwell say most do not speak English as their first language and there will typically be a translator with them.

Colwell noted that one Hispanic couple who came to their door in early April said they paid a $1,800 security deposit.

“She had like text conversations with the scammer. She had phone conversations with the scammer… and they showed up for the tour. And we’re like, ‘Oh, we’re here for the tour,” Colwell said.

While it’s been emotionally draining to keep turning away hopeful renters, Colwell said that any “annoyance or discomfort we feel with people wanting a tour of the house… pales in comparison to how it feels actually to lose your hard-earned savings.”

Giannino said he had filed an addendum to the initial police report to try and get ACPD to reopen the case.

But, just in case, the couple has also filed a complaint with the FBI.

In the interim, Giannino and Colwell have posted signs in front of their house and spreading the word to prevent more people from falling victim.

“It’s a good thing to shine a light on it, too, because it’s harder for an internet criminal to operate [than in the] darkness,” Colwell said.

Hat tip John Antonelli

ACPD warns of common phone scams targeting Arlington residents

By ARLnow.com
File photo

Arlington County police are warning about some common scams that residents have been reporting.

The scams involve calls to victims from people impersonating law enforcement personnel, attorneys or even a victim’s family member. The goal is to induce fear and collect a payment over the phone.

“Legitimate government agencies and businesses will also not call individuals and demand immediate payment in the form of gift cards, cryptocurrency or digital cash transfers,” ACPD said in a press release Tuesday. “Any unsolicited contact that puts you in fear, requests you to act quickly or states there is an emergency requiring you to provide funds or personal identifiable information is likely a scam.”

Common scams include “The Jury Duty Scam,” the “Federal Agent Impersonation Scam” and “The Injured Family Member Scam.”

“Always be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls, texts or emails,” the press release notes. “Even if the information displayed on the caller ID appears the same as a law enforcement or government agency, hang up and call the agency directly to verify the caller’s legitimacy.”

The full press release is below.

(more…)

ACPD details common local scams, from fake kidnappings to impersonating police

By ARLnow.com
File photo

Claiming a family member has been kidnapped and demanding a ransom. Threatening you with arrest if a fine is not paid for supposedly missing jury duty.

Those are just two of the most common scams perpetrated on local residents, according to the Arlington County Police Department.

ACPD detailed some of the scams they frequently respond to in a new press release. The victims are often older, with one of the scams specifically targeting grandparents, but anyone could be targeted.

The bottom line from police: “be cautious of unsolicited calls and emails, especially if the individual requests payment in the form of gift cards, cash or cash apps.”

The full ACPD press release detailing some common scams is below.

In support of the department’s key initiative of crime prevention and control, the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) is sharing information on common scams and tips for how to spot, avoid and report them. Although many scams can appear convincing, remember to be cautious of unsolicited calls and emails, especially if the individual requests payment in the form of gift cards, cash or cash apps.

Please note, the information provided in this press release is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all possible scams currently circulating. Individuals seeking additional information about fraud are encouraged to visit our financial crimes information webpage.

Scam #1: The Virtual Kidnapping Ransom Scam

Scammers will call potential victims stating their family member is being held captive and threaten to continue holding them hostage unless they receive payment, typically through a cash app. The scammers will provide the victim with specific instructions to ensure the safe return of the family member and order the individual to stay on the line until money is received. This particular scam creates a sense of urgency and panic as the scammers also state they will harm the family member if the money is not sent immediately. ACPD encourages the public to hang up and call 911 immediately if faced with this scam.

Scam #2: The Grandparent Scam

Scammers will target elderly victims by calling and stating their grandchild has been arrested for driving under the influence or other serious crime. The nature of the situation makes the grandchild ‘unavailable’ to confirm their identity by phone and the scammer will ask the victim to send money for attorney fees or bail. In some cases, the scammers impersonate the grandchild while reporting to be in a crisis situation. This particular scam preys on the fears of grandparents to get them to act quickly. If you receive a call of this nature, hang up and call 911 immediately. ACPD advises a quick way to know if this call is a scam is if the caller asks the victim not to call the grandchild’s parents to confirm they have been arrested.

Scam #3: The Jury Duty Scam

Scammers will pose as law enforcement and contact victims accusing them of failing to appear for jury duty and stating a warrant for their arrest will be issued unless a fine is paid. Payment is often requested in the form of gift cards and the scammer will ask the victim to provide the gift card numbers over the phone. Scammers may also instruct the victim to send the gift cards to a police department as an added appearance of legitimacy. As a reminder, ACPD and the Sheriff’s Office will never call to solicit funds or collect fines over the phone. Additionally, juror summonses are sent through the mail and communication through other mediums should be considered suspicious.

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Walking in Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

More on the Weird Chime Sound — “Janae Bixby first heard the sound near Pentagon City, where I-395 and Glebe Road intersect, as she picked up her kid from daycare on Monday evening around 5. She described it as ‘some sort of clock or doorbell chime that you would hear — very digital.’ She assumed the noise was coming from the building and started heading home. But then, in her car ride home to the southern edge of the Del Ray neighborhood in Alexandria, she kept hearing it, again and again.” [DCist]

Parents Group Wants Smaller Class Sizes — “A group of parents in Arlington, Virginia, is urging the county’s board to allot additional funding to its school system in the next fiscal year’s budget. The group Arlington Parents for Education said in a letter to the board this week that more money should be provided so that class sizes can be smaller, teacher pay can be competitive with surrounding school districts and student mental health and learning loss can be addressed.” [WTOP]

TR Bridge Work Could Wrap Up in June — “A section of the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge that was closed abruptly for emergency repairs two months ago is likely to reopen to traffic in June, according to officials with the District Department of Transportation. Crews began work on the 58-year-old bridge after an early-February inspection found steel support beams had continued to deteriorate, prompting the closure of three middle lanes and restrictions on heavyweight vehicles.” [Washington Post]

Operator Shortage Behind Bus Delays — From MetroHero: “For most of the morning, only one #WMATA 16Y bus has been in service where at least 5 are supposed to be running right… Previously-unannounced operator shortage was the cause of poor 16Y service this morning.” [Twitter]

School Bus Crash Yesterday Afternoon — “A crash involving several vehicles including a school bus has snarled southbound traffic on S. Carlin Springs Road, near Campbell Elementary… No injuries have been reported and one lane of traffic is squeezing by the crash scene. This is the same stretch of road where a group of residents recently called for safety improvements. [Twitter]

Video: Adorable Baby Squirrel — From the Animal Welfare League of Arlington: “We’ve definitely got the cutest thing on the internet today! This baby squirrel came to us underweight and hungry, so after a snack she was transferred to a local wildlife rehabber who will care for her until she can be released back into the wild!” [Twitter]

Arlington GOP Ramps Up Outreach — “They are still on the lookout for local candidates, but the Arlington County Republican Committee also is working to connect with prospective supporters. ‘There are thousands of Republican voters who turn out on Election Day but who are otherwise unengaged with the Arlington GOP,’ party communications chair Matthew Hurtt said. ‘We can change that.'” [Sun Gazette]

FBI Warns of Moving Scam — “The FBI Washington Field Office is warning the public about increasingly prevalent moving fraud schemes and providing information about how to avoid being victimized by them. A typical moving fraud scheme begins when a customer is enticed into entering into a contract with a moving company to transport their household goods by offers of extremely low-cost estimates from a sales representative or broker.” [FBI]

It’s Friday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 72 and low of 52. Sunrise at 6:23 am and sunset at 7:53 pm. [Weather.gov]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Power Payment Scam — “Arlington County is warning the public about a phone scam of unsolicited calls claiming to be representatives of Dominion Energy. Dominion Energy will not call you to pressure you to pay. If you have issues, contact the customer service line (1-866-366-4357) immediately.” [Twitter]

Youngkin Voters Cite Schools — From WAMU’s Rachel Kurzius: “I cannot stress enough how much the issue of education has motivated Youngkin supporters. It comes up in every convo. Charmaine and Jack Yoest of Arlington say that ‘what’s going on in our schools today’ cuts across party lines and that helps explain Youngkin’s success tonight… One thing I keep hearing is that parents didn’t like what they overheard on Zoom classes.” [Twitter]

Leadership Center Picks Leader — “Lisa Fikes, who has served as head of Volunteer Arlington for five years and in recent months has served as interim CEO of the Leadership Center for Excellence, has been tapped for that post in a permanent capacity.” [Sun Gazette]

It’s Wednesday — Today there will be areas of frost before 10 a.m. Otherwise it will be sunny, with a high near 52. Sunrise at 7:37 a.m. and sunset at 6:05 p.m. Tomorrow will be mostly sunny, with a high near 53.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

County Getting Paid for Glass Recycling — “Arlington’s glass recycling drop-off program continues to shatter expectations–surpassing 5 million pounds (2,500 tons) collected since its debut in 2019. And the effort is officially paying off. The County now receives $15 per ton for glass collected as the result of a new hauling and commodity contract with a Pennsylvania recycler.” [Arlington County]

VDOT’s Route 1 Proposal Bombs — “As a new vision for Crystal City’s portion of U.S. Route 1 comes into focus, local businesses, neighbors and the area’s dominant landlord are all becoming increasingly concerned… Renderings unveiled in a Virginia Department of Transportation meeting Wednesday night have united the National Landing Business Improvement District, JBG Smith Properties and some neighborhood activists in opposition over fears that the designs are still too car-centric.” [Washington Business Journal, Twitter]

Police Warn of Ongoing Scams — “The Arlington County Police Department is sharing information on common scams circulating in Arlington County and ways you can spot, avoid, and report them. The public should be particularly cautious of anyone calling, emailing, or interacting with them and requesting payment in the form of gift cards as this is often a red flag for fraud.” [ACPD]

Driver of Stolen Car Escapes — “At approximately 2:15 a.m. on March 3, a patrol officer observed a stolen vehicle traveling on S. Carlin Springs Road. Before a traffic stop could be initiated, the driver accelerated the vehicle and made evasive turns before pulling over and fleeing the scene on foot. A perimeter was established and officers, with aerial support from the Fairfax County Police Helicopter Division, conducted a search for the driver with negative results.” [ACPD]

New Race Planned Next Weekend — “Join Arlington For Justice and Black Parents of Arlington for the 1st Run For Her Life (Women’s Only) 5k WALK and YOGA Event… March 13, 2021 at 2 p.m.” [Facebook]

ACPD Warns of New Mail-Based Scam

By ARLnow.com

Scammers are sending letters to Arlington residents, fraudulently claiming to be Arlington County authorities and threatening punishment if a debt is not paid over the phone.

The Arlington County Police Department issued a warning about the scam today, showing images of scam letters that appear to come from an official source. The scammers claim to be part of a non-existent “Benefits Suspension Unit” or “Tax Processing Unit,” and threaten to cut off Social Security benefits or seize wages, police say.

Those that receive such letters are encouraged to report them to police via an online form.

More from ACPD:

The Arlington County Police Department is warning the public about scam mailings that threaten individuals with seizure of their wages and Social Security benefits to satisfy alleged non-payment of taxes. Recipients are instructed to call a toll-free number by a set date or further enforcement action will be taken against them.

The mailings use a fraudulent government seal and are sent from the ‘Benefits Suspension Unit, Arlington County, Public Judgement Records’ and/or the ‘Tax Processing Unit, Internal Processing Service, Arlington County, Public Judgement Records.’ This office does not exist.

If you have been a victim or target of a scam in Arlington County, report to police using the online crime report.

Scammers may use various techniques to fool potential victims. Avoid becoming a victim by following these practices:

  • Be suspicious of any unsolicited phone calls, emails, mailings or in-person solicitations which request funds or claim that you owe money.
  • Never use a phone number provided to you from an individual making threats to verify their credibility. Use a verified phone number to contact a government agency if you’re concerned you might owe money.
  • Avoid unusual payment methods. No government agency will instruct you to resolve your debt using a payment method such as Bitcoin, money wires, mailed cash or gift cards.
  • Keep your information private. Don’t share your personal information with organizations you are unfamiliar with, don’t have ties to and did not initiate contact with.
  • Take your time. If you are requested to act quickly or there is a stated emergency, it may be a scam. Scammers create a sense of urgency to get you to act impulsively.
  • If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Governor Extends Business Closures — “Governor Ralph Northam today announced that he will extend Executive Order Fifty-Three for two weeks, through Friday, May 8, 2020. Executive Order Fifty-Three originally signed on March 24, bans crowds of more than 10 people; closes recreation, entertainment, and personal care businesses; and limits restaurants to offering takeout and delivery services only.” [Gov. Ralph Northam]

Wi-Fi Available in Two Library Parking Lots — “Arlington residents who lack reliable internet service at home during the COVID-19 pandemic can now benefit from two new free County Wi-Fi hotspots. Access to the ArlingtonWireless network is now available at the Central Library and Columbia Pike Library parking lots.” [Arlington County]

Lane Closures on I-66 This Weekend — “Extended lane closures will occur this weekend beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 17, on I-66 East between the Dulles Connector Road and Sycamore Street for bridge work and other construction for the I-66 Eastbound Widening Project.” [Press Release]

Buses to Toot Horns in Unison — “[Today] at 3 p.m., ART buses will join transit agencies around the country in honking their horns to honor transportation and other essential workers. Thank you to the ART bus drivers and staff, and all essential workers, for your work!” [Twitter]

Police Warn of Coronavirus Scams — “FRAUD ALERT: Be aware of COVID-related scams and know how to protect yourself. ACPD reminds you that the IRS will not call, text, email you or contact you via social media to request money or personal information related to economic impact payments.” [Twitter]

Disastrous Debut for Fairfax Distance Learning — While Arlington Public Schools catches flak for deciding not to teach new material until the fall, Fairfax County public schools have cancelled online classes for the rest of the week after the school system’s distance learning technology suffered a series of major failures. [Fairfax County Public Schools, Washington Post]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Rent Rising in Arlington — “The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment was $1,840 and for a two-bedroom apartment was $2,130 in Arlington, based on the latest data from Apartment List. The growth rate of 3.7 percent from 12 months before compares to a national increase of 1.7 percent during the same period.” [InsideNova]

Rolling Thunder Rides Again — “The massive Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally staged in Washington each Memorial Day weekend had its final ride last year, but the roar of engines isn’t going away… The 2020 version of the ride has new organizers, a new sponsor and a new name, but participants and spectators might not notice the changes.” [Washington Post]

Bean Bag Chair Store Closes in Ballston — Yogibo, a casual furniture store specializing in bean bag chairs, has closed at Ballston Quarter mall. [Twitter]

Cat Shot With Arrow Adopted — “Cupid is going home! His new mom and dad were SO excited to meet Cupid and make him a part of the family. He was purring and giving them head-butts right away, and we wish him all the best in his new home!” [Facebook, WJLA]

Watch Out for Coronavirus Scams — “As public health concerns continue to grow surrounding the coronavirus, Attorney General Mark R. Herring is urging Virginians to be wary of any coronavirus related scams. Scams could include selling products that purport to prevent the coronavirus, spreading misinformation, or pretending to solicit donations for victims of the disease.” [Press Release]

ACPD: No, We Don’t Call and Demand Payment Via Prepaid Debit Cards

By ARLnow.com

To combat a new scam, Arlington County Police are making it clear: they’re not going to call and threaten to arrest you unless you pay them with a prepaid debit card.

The department says it has received several reports of residents receiving unsolicited phone calls claiming to be from an Arlington police officer. The caller asserts that the victim has “an outstanding warrant for their arrest” for an unpaid fine and demands payment, threatening to arrest the victim unless a payment is received via — it’s then revealed — prepaid debit cards.

“The Arlington County Police Department is reminding citizens that agency representatives have never and will never call to solicit funds or collect fines,” police said.

More from an ACPD press release:

The Arlington County Police Department is warning the public about a telephone scam that uses the threat of arrest to extort money from potential victims.

Several residents have reported receiving unsolicited phone calls claiming they have an outstanding warrant for their arrest. The caller claims to be a Captain with the Arlington County Police Department and demands immediate payment for an alleged fine. Through threats and intimidation, the caller attempts to convince residents to purchase prepaid debit cards and provide the identification numbers which allows the scammers to obtain the money from the cards.

If you receive a call of this nature with someone claiming to be a member of Arlington County law enforcement, immediately hang up and verify the claim by calling the Emergency Communications Center at 703.558.2222.

Avoid Becoming the Victim of a Scam

The Arlington County Police Department is reminding citizens that agency representatives have never and will never call to solicit funds or collect fines. Reduce the risk of becoming a victim of a scam by following these crime prevention tips:

  • Always be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls.
  • Never use a phone number provided to you from the caller to verify their credibility.
  • Never give money or personal information to someone with whom you don’t have ties and did not initiate contact.
  • Trust your instincts: if an unknown caller makes you uncomfortable or says things that don’t sound right, hang up.

Report Scams

After making a verification call, if you find that you were a target or victim of a scam, please file an online police report or call the Emergency Communications Center at 703.558.2222.

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