A caller says your bank account has been hacked and the money needs to be moved somewhere safe immediately. Arlington County police say it’s one of the scams they hear about most.
Caller ID can be spoofed to make the call appear to come from the bank itself, according to a department press release. Police said not to give account credentials or verification codes to an incoming caller — hang up and call back using the number on an account statement, a debit or credit card, or the company’s official website.
Anyone who thinks they have already been scammed should contact their bank right away and ask whether the transfer can be stopped or reversed.
Texts you weren’t expecting
ACPD listed five recurring text scams: fake alerts that an account is locked, messages claiming there is a problem with a package delivery, prize and giveaway notifications, demands for unpaid tolls and job offers for jobs that were never applied for.
All are after the same thing: a click, a password, an account number or a Social Security number. Banks, companies and government agencies do not ask for that information by text, police said. Block the number, report the message as junk, and forward it to 7726 (SPAM) to flag it for the Federal Trade Commission.
Fake fines for missed jury duty
Scammers also pose as local law enforcement and tell people a warrant will be issued for their arrest unless they pay a fine for skipping jury duty. Payment is usually requested in gift cards, cryptocurrency or digital cash transfers — methods police said no government agency or legitimate business uses to collect a debt.
Neither ACPD nor the Sheriff’s Office will call, email or text to collect a fine. Juror summonses come by mail, and the Arlington Circuit Court is mailing about 35,000 juror questionnaires to Arlington and Falls Church residents this month.
More, below, from the press release.
Reduce the risk of becoming a victim of a scam by following these crime prevention tips:
- Always be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls, texts or emails.
- Be cautious of mimicked telephone numbers and email addresses. Even if the information displayed on the caller ID appears the same as a legitimate organization, hang up and call the agency directly to verify the caller’s legitimacy.
- Never use a phone number provided to you from the caller to verify their credibility.
- Never give money or personal information to someone with whom you don’t have ties and did not initiate contact with.
- Don’t click on links from unsolicited emails or text messages.
- Take your time and trust your instincts: if an unknown caller makes you uncomfortable or says things that don’t sound right, hang up.
Anyone who was targeted by a scam can file an online report or call the Alternative Reporting Unit at 703-228-4300. The department said the list is not exhaustive and pointed to its financial crimes page for more.
ACPD issues a version of this reminder periodically, including a holiday-season warning about fake missed delivery notices in 2024. In April, the county treasurer’s office flagged an email impersonating now-former Treasurer Carla de la Pava that asked local businesses and nonprofits to pay a vendor invoice.
The calls can be convincing. An Arlington woman told ARLnow in 2024 that she nearly fell for a caller who mimicked her daughter’s voice and claimed she had been arrested after a crash.
