In addition to the scam perpetrated by someone pretending to be the chair of the Lexington Planning Commission, Lexington Police Chief Angela Greene told The News-Gazette that the department received reports of three other scams between May 1 and May 15.
In the first, the victim was contacted by someone claiming a resident’s lost cat had been struck by a vehicle and required emergency surgery, for which they demanded payment. There was yet another reported incident of a scammer impersonating a local deputy sheriff and demanding $400 in gift cards to settle a fine for failing to appear for jury duty, and the final report was of an EBT card that had been drained of funds.
While neither the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office or the Buena Vista Police Department have received any reports of attempted scams targeting individuals with business before their respective jurisdiction’s planning commissions, Sheriff Tony McFaddin told The News-Gazette that the department regularly receives reports of a variety of scams. One recent incident involved a county resident who wrote two checks for more than $4,200 to Publisher’s Clearinghouse as part of a scam. At the time of the report on May 10, she said the bank had stopped payment on one check and was working to do the same to the other.
In the email listing the reported scams, Chief Greene urged people to “remain vigilant” and offered several safety tips to avoid falling victim to these or similar scams. She encouraged residents to not provide personal or financial information over the phone or through unsolicited texts or emails and not to purchase gift cards to settle any alleged fines or legal matters because “legitimate government agencies will never request payment this way.” If the caller becomes aggressive, demands secrecy or encourages urgent action, she suggests hanging up immediately, and to independently verify any claims of emergencies involving loved ones or pets, either through contacting known family members or veterinary services.
For potential EBT or bank card scams, she said to report it to the financial institution immediately and then contact police.
She encouraged anyone who believes they’ve been targeted by a scam to call the police department at (540) 462-3705 to report it.
“The Lexington Police Department continues to investigate these incidents and works closely with our local businesses and community partners to prevent further victimization,” she said at the conclusion of the email. “We would like to recognize our appreciation for the ongoing cooperation of our residents and local merchants, especially the Dollar General staff who remain vigilant in protecting unsuspecting customers from becoming victims of fraud and proactively contacting the Lexington Police Department. Together, we can protect one another from these fraudulent schemes.”
