Arlington County police are urging residents to remain alert to a variety of commonly reported scams this holiday season.
Residents are encouraged to be suspicious of unsolicited communications, avoid clicking suspicious links and regularly monitor their bank accounts for unauthorized activity.
With the holidays approaching, police are also warning of scams that take a somewhat unusual approach and might be especially effective during this time of year.
Fake “missed delivery” notifications
With holiday gifts aplenty being ordered online, ACPD warns of scammers sending fake “missed delivery” notifications to recipients, often in the form of text messages and emails.
Scammers are hoping victims will click a link and provide their personal information.
Emerging “brushing” scam
In this new scam, people receive a package that they did not order. Inside the box is a QR code that recipients are expected to scan in hopes of finding out who sent the package, but their personal information will be stolen by the senders instead.
No reports of this scam have been made in Arlington, but always be alert of potential phishing scams — even away from a screen.
Impersonating local law enforcement
Scammers sometimes claim that victims have missed jury duty and that a warrant for their arrest will be issued unless a fine is paid. They request payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency or money transfer, police said.
Juror summonses are sent through the mail and never by phone. And neither ACPD nor the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office will attempt to collect fines over the phone.
Impersonating federal agents
Posing as federal law enforcement agents, scammers attempt to extort money or steal personal information from targets by creating a false narrative, perhaps revolving around drugs.
There are many variants to this scam, according to ACPD, so be vigilant when any unsolicited communication sounds fishy.
