Fauquier residents: beware money wire phone scam

Thursday, Mar. 21 | By Mark Grandstaff

Fauquier residents are getting phone calls from scammers trying to get money wired to them, the Fauquier County Sheriff's Office said on its Facebook page.

The callers tell residents that they have a family member in jail. The callers then ask for money to be wired to them to help get the person out of jail.

This is a scam, said Fauquier sheriff's deputies. Anyone called in such a fashion should immediately hang up.

Fauquier deputies offer the following tips to avoid scammers:

-Never wire money to someone you don't know. If a supposed relative asks you for money and asks you not to tell anyone, beware.
-Confirm the identity of the person talking to you. Ask for their full name. If they don't know or won't answer, hang up.
-Don't be afraid to be rude. End the call if you ned to.
-Don't give personal information to suspicious callers.
-Be wary of unsolicited prizes or offers.
-Never wire money to anyone who says a money transfer is the only acceptable form of payment.
-When in doubt, double-check with a trusted third party before doing anything.

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