Phone Scam Urges Elderly Spotsylvania Residents to Buy 'MoneyPaks'

The Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents of a fraud scam targeting elderly citizens via telephone.

Previous victims have noted the caller notifies the victim(s) that they owe money to the IRS or some other governmental entity. The suspect, usually male, typically speaks in a foreign accent and directs the victim to pay the fine or back tax bill by obtaining a “Green Dot MoneyPak” from a local retailer.

MoneyPaks act as cash and are difficult to track. In one instance, the suspect told a victim to send money for the shipment of a vehicle via Green Dot MoneyPaks.

“The public should be aware of the fact that legitimate businesses and Governmental agencies NEVER ask citizens to pay with pre-paid cards and/or Green Dot MoneyPaks,” Sheriff Roger L. Harris said in a press release.

Detectives from the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s CID Division are working with detectives from other jurisdictions and Federal Agents in an effort to locate and arrest the suspects behind the scam.

Anyone who receives one of these calls is urged to contact the Sheriff’s Office or their local law enforcement agency. Call Spotsylvania Crime Solvers at 1-800-928-5822 or Text-A-Tip to 1-540-582-5822.

To learn about safety tips for those using these types of cards to pay for products or services over the Internet, visit https://www.moneypak.com/protectyourmoney.aspx.