JAMES CITY COUNTY, Va. — Tonight, a new warning from police about scam phone calls.
Officials with the James City County Police Department and the Williamsburg-James City County Sheriff’s Office say they’re seeing “a significant uptick” in scam reports.
It all starts with a phone call and a warning that police officers will arrest you if you don’t pay up – usually in gift cards or Bitcoin.
It’s a common scam and authorities in James City County say these types of impersonation schemes are on the rise, prompting them to issue a new warning.
“We’re getting reports of them daily," Detective Josh Ernst said. “Of course they threaten, if you get off the phone, you’re going to be arrested - which isn’t the case at all - but they use fear tactics.”
According to a release from James City County Police, a recent victim in James City County "suffered substantial financial losses" after falling for a similar scam.
Ernst says there are things to look out for to avoid falling victim.
The scammers usually pose as law enforcement officers and use pressure and fear tactics to get victims to comply over the phone.
Sometimes the scammers claim federal or other warrants have been taken out against you and you’ll be taken into custody unless you pay up immediately.
Or victims might be told they’ve missed a court appearance and must transfer funds to avoid getting in trouble with the law.
But don’t fall for it.
“If they’re asking for any form of payment – if they’re posing as a police officer or a sheriff's deputy or some court official and they say you need to pay me in gift cards, it’s a scam," he said.
Ernst says scammers could also ask you to pay up via cryptocurrency or payment apps on your phone.
Officials say it’s when scammers create a sense of urgency that victims can panic and fall for their tricks. That’s a big warning sign that you might be getting scammed.
“Yes, the more pressure they put on that should raise a few red flags," Ernst said. "And if you’re not certain, just hang up the phone. Say ‘Hey, I’ll call you back.’ And call your local police department or sheriff’s department.”
Detectives say no James City County law enforcement officer will ever contact you directly and request money.
They're hoping to raise awareness about scams, so no one else falls victim.