CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. (WFXR) — The Christiansburg Police Department (CPD) says they have received several reports stating that scam callers are attempting to extort money and gift cards.
CPD says these calls are similar to the scams that were reported to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office in October of 2022. Callers are using real court addresses, names, and names of law enforcement officers, court officials, and judges to make the calls seem credible. Police warn that scammers may “spoof” numbers on the caller ID so that the call falsely appears to be from a court office or government agency.
Officers advise residents who receive these calls to do the following:
- Do not provide personal information such as bank information, card numbers, etc.
- Do not buy gift cards over the phone
- Tell the person you are going to hang up and call them back at the office they are claiming to represent
The Montgomery Sheriff’s Office says courts and law enforcement will never demand money over the phone or demand a gift card to pay for fines.
If you have questions or receive any phone solicitations, contact your local law enforcement agency.
