Tag: fraud
Scam targets land use applicants
Fairfax County is warning the public about a new scam. People submitting applications through the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) have been receiving fraudulent emails asking for payment that appear to come from the Department of Planning and Development. These messages may reference real application numbers or upcoming hearings and may include fake invoices … Continued
Annandale man loses big in romance scam
A case involving a 78-year-old Annandale man who was scammed out of $580,000 by people pretending to have a relationship with him highlights the dangers of romance scams. Victims of romance scams have lost a staggering $1.5 billion in the last five years, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports. That includes a record $547 million … Continued
Scammers impersonating church pastors request gift cards
A phishing scheme targeted members of this Annandale church. Local churches are warning their members about phishing scams in which a scammer impersonates the pastor and asks people to send gift cards for those in need. Hope Lutheran Church in Annandale was struck three times by this type of scam – a year-and-a-half ago, this past … Continued
Police arrest man involved in gift-card phone scam
Investigators who brought down phone scammer Jiale Li with some of the evidence. [FCPD] The Fairfax County Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit helped bust a major phone scam ring. Jiale Li, 26, of Blacksburg, Va., was arrested Sept. 1 and charged with three counts of obtaining money by false pretense and money laundering. He is … Continued
Three men arrested for using skimming device
Left to right: Osvaldo Bello Villanueva, Enrique Franco, and Abrahan Noa. [FCPD] Three men have been charged with fraudulently obtaining credit card numbers using a financial skimming device hidden inside gas pumps in Bailey’s Crossroads, the Fairfax County Police Department reports. A fraud investigator from an undisclosed bank contacted FCPD’s financial crimes section on March … Continued
DWI, fraud arrests in Annandale area
Herriott The Fairfax County Police Blotter lists two arrests over the weekend in the Annandale area. A police officer noticed the driver of a Chevrolet Tahoe slumped over the steering wheel apparently asleep at the Old Columbia Pike/Little River Turnpike intersection at about 3:30 a.m. on Dec. 6. When the officer woke the driver, he … Continued
Suspect sought for bank fraud in Bailey’s Crossroads
Suspect on bank camera. Fairfax County Crime Solvers is offering a reward of $100 to $1,000 for tips leading to an arrest and indictment of a suspect wanted for bank fraud. Last winter, a man opened a business account at the SunTrust Bank at 5821 Crossroads Circle in Bailey’s Crossroads and deposited a check in … Continued