Lancaster County Sheriff's Office Lancaster, VA 22503

Imposter Scam:
Scammers pretend to be officials (IRS, Social Security, Law Enforcement, Attorney, Bail Bondsmen) or family members in distress to request immediate payment. Commonly used words: missed jury duty, overdue taxes, compromised Social Security number or account, payment required to avoid arrest, being held until bond paid.
Bank & Tech Support Imposters:
Fake bank alerts about fraudulent activity, or tech support informing you of a computer virus, often via text (smishing) or email (phishing).
Investment and Crypto Scams:
Fraudulent promises of high returns on fake cryptocurrency investments of "guaranteed" investment opportunities.
Online Shopping/Marketplace Scams:
Sellers or buyers on sites like Facebook Marketplace or Instagram offer non-existent goods or pay with fake checks.
Romance Scams:
Scammers create fake online dating profiles to build trust, later asking for money for emergencies, travel, or medical bills.
Fake Invoices/Payroll Scams:
Phony invoices for services never ordered or "business opportunity" scams that require upfront payments.
Check Forwarding/Partial Payment Work Plan Scams:
Scammers want to send you a check to deposit and return a major portion of the money by means of gift cards, with you "keeping the balance as payment." The checks are fake; you will end up loosing the money you send by means of gift cards.
Gift Card Scams:
Any scheme that involves buying gift cards and providing the gift card number to the caller is another fraud. When you provide the gift card number to the scammer, the scammer immediately cashes out the gift card and you loose your money. Any money sent via gift card number cannot be recovered.