Location: Courthouse Road, Stafford VA
Time: 2:27 p.m., July 20
A Stafford County resident narrowly avoided becoming the victim of a sophisticated financial scam after discovering unauthorized banking activity.
Deputies responded to a fraud report after the victim’s bank alerted them to unauthorized charges made in California. While addressing those charges, the victim was contacted by someone claiming to represent the FDIC, who instructed them to withdraw money for “security reasons.”
The victim recognized the call as a scam and ended communication before losing any money. During the investigation, the victim also learned that a property tax payment check had never reached its destination. The bank later determined the check had been altered and fraudulently cashed.
The victim’s financial institution has launched an investigation. No suspects have been identified.