Location: Glenwood Avenue, Stafford VA Time: October 14, 2026, at 8:23 a.m.
A Stafford County resident reported losing money and providing personal information to scammers following an elaborate gift card fraud scheme.
Deputy Sullivan responded to Glenwood Avenue on October 14 after receiving a report of suspected fraud.
According to the sheriff’s office, the victim received an email claiming that a gift card had been purchased. The email included a telephone number to call to dispute the transaction.
After calling the number, the victim spoke with individuals who claimed they would provide a refund.
The callers subsequently alleged that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation had mistakenly deposited a significant amount of money into an account for the victim and that a wire transfer was necessary to correct the error.
During the interaction, the victim gave the suspects access to a computer, provided personally identifiable information and transferred a portion of the requested funds.
The victim’s bank eventually placed a hold on the account.
Deputy Sullivan advised the victim to notify financial institutions about the fraud and remove any malware that had been installed on the computer.