The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office wants to inform the public of a well thought out scam and ways to avoid it.

Recently Deputy C.C. Lee responded to a fraud report. The victim advised she received an alert on her computer that her bank accounts were “at risk.” After entering her bank information on the pop-up, she received a call from someone advising her to withdraw all her money so they could encrypt it. The scammer further stated not to inform bank staff for fear they might try to stop her.

After the victim withdrew her cash, the scammer advised someone would come by to pick it up so they could properly encrypt it. Later, an unknown male driving a dark SUV retrieved the cash from her. After contacting her bank, she realized it was a scam.

If you get a suspicious message, whether by computer or phone, do not provide personal information. If you get contacted by someone posing as your bank, directly make contact with them to ensure the threat is real and not a scam. Never entrust your money to someone you do not know. Scams like these want you to act quickly, so be sure to take a moment and contact our non-emergency number, 540-658-4400, if you are ever unsure.