V I N T O N
P O L I C E
NEWS
HOME

CRIME STOPPERS

Back to Investigations Division Page
CONTACT US
311 S. Pollard St., Vinton, VA 24179 (540) 983-0617
Crime Stoppers Anonymous Tip Hotline (540) 345-9508
Offense Report
Suspicious Activity
Traffic Complaint
Vacation Watch
Officer Complaint
Citizen Survey
Citizen Academy Application
Animal Service Request
Ride Along Application
Anonymous Tip
Junk Dealer Permit
ONLINE REPORTING
Fraudulent Scams
Chief of Police
Deputy Chief of Police
Records Division
Professional Standards
Animal Control
Uniform Patrol Division
Investigations Division
Officers
Employment
Photo Gallery
ORGANIZATION
     The Vinton Police Department has been alerted to two different scams effecting the Roanoke Valley.

     The first, involves a representative posing as an electric company official, who claims that the customer has not paid their electric bill and threatens to terminate electrical services, if not paid in full immediately. The fraudulent representative then instructs the victim to load pre-paid gift cards with the specified amounts and further provide the PIN numbers for those cards, in order for them to access the money.

     The second, involves a representative posing as an official from the jail, claiming that the victim missed jury duty and threatens arrest, if a fine is not paid immediately. The fraudulent jail official then instructs the victim to load pre-paid gift cards with a specified amount and further provide the PIN numbers in order for them to access the money. Please be aware of any financial transaction that requires payment using pre-paid gift cards of any type. The best recourse is to confirm with the actual company involved, whether the request is legitimate before making any payments using this method.

If you have any questions or concerns involving fraudulent scams, please feel free to contact the Criminal Investigations Division at 540-983-0617.