Team of Bristol, Virginia police officers, dispatchers help phone scam victim recover thousands

The FBI Crime Complaint Center estimates elderly US residents lost more than $7 billion to scammers, either online or over the phone, last year, but this story is not a statistic.

Bristol Virginia Chief of Police Byron Ashbrook reported a case that helped stop a $153,000 cashier’s check from reaching the criminals based in New York City. According to their preliminary investigation, the victim was convinced of financial problems from a scam artist posing as a Wells Fargo representative and, as a result, withdrew six figures, got a check, and shipped it out with express mail.

Ashbrook said a team of dispatchers and officers were able to coordinate with the shipping company, identify the package, and return it to the owner with no funds lost. The police chief said residents of Bristol have ended up losing more than $300,000 over the past three years due to tricks and scams.

The department recommends the following steps to avoid getting scammed:

– Do not trust an unexpected text, email, or phone call simply because it appears to come from
your bank or another legitimate company.
– Never send money, cashier’s checks, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or other forms of payment based
solely on instructions received through an unsolicited call, text, or email.
– Do not use phone numbers or links provided in a suspicious message. Contact your financial
institution directly using a verified number, such as the number on the back of your bank card.
– Be suspicious of anyone who tells you that you must act immediately to protect your money,
prevent an account from being closed, resolve fraudulent charges, or avoid some other
consequence.
– Talk to someone you trust before transferring or sending a large amount of money. A second set
of eyes may recognize warning signs that are difficult to see when someone is being pressured.
– If you believe you have already sent money or a package to a scammer, contact your financial
institution, shipping company, and law enforcement immediately. Acting quickly may provide an
opportunity to stop or recover the funds.

(IMAGE: Property of Pexels / Sora Shimazaki)