Sheriff Warns Loudoun Residents, Businesses Of Money Card Scams

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — As part of National Crime Prevention Month, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office kicked off a new outreach campaign this week intended to warn county residents and businesses about the dangers of money card scams.

As part of the campaign, sheriff's office personnel will visit businesses where money cards are sold to help employees identify potential victims of a scam. The sheriff's office is also providing a flier to post near areas where money cards are sold to help inform residents of the potential scams. The fliers will also be distributed to senior living communities and senior centers in Loudoun County.

According to the sheriff's office, the scams often start with a simple telephone call and usually follows the following script:

• The voice on the other end of the phone claims to be from a government agency of authority and threatens arrest if you don’t pay fines owed.
• The caller assures you all of this can be easily resolved if you obtain money cards from a local store and provide them with the serial numbers.
• In many cases the scammers claim to be from the IRS, the Social Security Administration, utility companies threating to turn off your electricity, and some even state they are a deputy from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.
• These scammers falsify or “spoof” their caller ID information to appear as if the call is originating from the agency or company they are impersonating.

Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman said the suspects often prey on a person’s fears by using the appearance of authority and by threatening arrest.

“We hope to stop these crimes before they occur by educating residents and ensuring businesses who sell money cards are aware of the scams,” Chapman said.

Residents are reminded to do the following:

• Never provide personal or financial information to anyone who e-mails or calls you unsolicited.
• Don’t wire money, provide debit or credit card numbers, or money card numbers to someone you don’t know.
• Government agencies and utility companies will not contact you demanding immediate payment by money cards.

Officials said law enforcement will never ask for money and residents are encouraged to contact the Loudoun Sheriff’s non-emergency number at 703-777-1021 to verify a caller claiming to be from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.