Search

Sophisticated scam targets Dominion Energy customers 08/29/2019 05:39pm • A WTOP listener who is a Dominion Energy customer, said that he was almost the victim of a sophisticated phone scam, and the company said that he is not the only one who has been targeted. The man got a call that appeared to be from the utility, warning him that he owed $2,000 and needed to pay r Spot the scam: Watch out for calls pretending to be from Social Security Administration 08/13/2019 07:01pm • The Social Security Administration has been receiving reports about scammers pretending to be employees of the agency. Here's how to recognize these fake calls and how to prevent being scammed. The automated call goes something like this: "The reason of this call is to inform you that your Social Alexandria police warn of phone scammers posing as officers 07/30/2019 05:31pm • Police in Alexandria, Virginia, want you to know that they would never call you to ask for money. Scammers, they say, are posing as Alexandria officers — calling homes and asking for donations to the department. Residents started calling the department Monday, police Lt. Courtney Ballantine Crooks spoof caller ID names, phone numbers 07/24/2019 10:59pm • The Maryland State Police want to warn you about crooks who are spoofing caller IDs to show a believable, plausible name matched with a real phone number. " see an actual legitimate phone number on their cellphones and, in this case, was Maryland State Government," Maryland State Police spokeswo Scam reports reach new record high, according to FTC 07/07/2019 03:39pm • The Federal Trade Commission is sending a warning to consumers as reports of scams to the FTC's Consumer Sentinel Network reach a new record high. Reports of scammers posing as government employees to collect money from consumers have resulted in 176,259 reports so far this year, the highest leve When the offer is fake: How scammers target job seekers 05/28/2019 12:47am • Job hunters, beware: Scammers are out impersonating would-be employers to get at your sensitive data and even your checking account. Here's how it works: A fake job ad is posted, either on social media or on a job-hunting site. The scammer might use a known organization's name and logo to lure Mother-son duo accused of going through 93-year-old woman's mail to steal money 05/06/2019 03:15pm • A woman and her son from Glenarden, Maryland, promised an elderly neighbor's family they would help her out; instead, they're accused of helping themselves to her money. The Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office said Monday that police are looking for Barbara Stevens, 55, and Ter Caller posing as Stafford Co. deputy prompts warning from sheriff's office 05/01/2019 05:33pm • Scammers are working the phones again and have targeted at least one person in Stafford County, Virginia. On Monday, one resident got a voicemail from a Stafford "deputy" who accused her of pending charges, according to the Stafford County Sheriff's Office. The would-be victim was then told to Tired of robocalls? Congress discusses bill that could help 04/11/2019 01:22pm • It's an issue you're probably all too familiar with: annoying robocalls to your cellphone. Robocallers are bombarding cellphones with more calls than ever. In fact, half of all calls to cellphones this year will be robocalls, according to Sen. John Thune, R-SD, who oversaw a Senate subcommittee h Ex-Georgetown tennis coach indicted in admissions cheating scandal 03/12/2019 06:26pm • Georgetown University’s former tennis coach is among those indicted on a charge of racketeering conspiracy as part of a sweeping series of allegations of college admissions bribery and cheating. Gordon Ernst was the head men’s and women’s coach at Georgetown University for 12 seasons, leavi Maryland warns of potential scam targeting residents behind on taxes 03/11/2019 04:00pm • Maryland courts are warning residents about what they call a deceptive letter being sent to people who are behind on their taxes. The letters threaten people with the seizure of bank accounts and property, and even arrest, if the recipient doesn't call a number on it and pay their debts, accordi Data Doctors: The bad news about unwanted calls (and tips for handling them) 03/08/2019 09:24pm • Q: Why am I getting so many robocalls these days, and what can I do to stop them? A: If it seems like you’re getting a lot more calls that are either a robocall, a scammer or someone trying to sell you something, you’re not imagining it. According to call statistics from companies that mon How to Deal With Debt Collectors 02/11/2019 07:00pm • Debt collectors are a necessary evil in the U.S. credit system, but in some cases, their tactics can be predatory or even illegal. If you've been contacted by a debt collector for a past-due balance, going into the process blindly can give the collection agency the upper hand. Instead, educate yours Maryland State Police warn of phone scams using cloned numbers 02/07/2019 03:21pm • WASHINGTON — Various Maryland State Police barracks have been inundated with reports of phone scams, including one on Thursday where the scammer cloned the number of one of their barracks. The victim of that call told police she received a call from the number for the Leonardtown Barrack. The c Tax scams are on the rise — here's how to protect sensitive info 02/05/2019 05:39am • WASHINGTON — While minimizing what you owe or increasing your refund is usually the goal during tax season, protecting yourself from scams also should be a top priority. The Secret Service’s Global Investigative Operations Center issued a tax season phishing alert, saying large-scale scams a