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Fairfax County police: Beware of ‘abduction scam’ 05/21/2016 06:30am • Fairfax County Police are warning parents of a new trend: scammers that are telling adults their children have been kidnapped. It’s an attempt to get money — and don’t fall for it, police say. From the FCPD: Since April, police have responded to several reports of what appear to be a tren Reports of virtual kidnapping scams pop up in region 05/18/2016 06:50am • WASHINGTON — Imagine getting a phone call from someone who claims to have kidnapped someone in your family. Such calls, known as virtual kidnapping scams, have been occurring across the D.C. area in recent days. Scammers steal money by demanding a ransom, telling the victim that their family me 6 Ways to Spot an Online Scam 04/18/2016 08:00pm • The Internet has brought countless benefits into our lives. It offers instantaneous access to news and information, a forum for keeping in touch with loved ones and untold opportunities for earning an income or building a business. However, along with those benefits comes a dark side. Scammers. Th Column: Are iPhones safer than Android smartphones? 04/14/2016 05:13am • Q: I’m trying to decide on a new phone. Is it true that iPhones are safer than Android smartphones? A: The dangers associated with using a smartphone continue to grow, but the relative dangers compared to using your desktop or laptop are still pretty minimal. It’s not uncommon to see salac Will You Soon Be Logging Into Your Accounts With Emojis? 04/13/2016 08:00pm • Numbers and letters will only get you so far when it comes to keeping hackers out of your accounts, security experts say. As a result, some banks and other institutions are looking for new ways to safeguard customer data. "To my knowledge, financial institutions are testing new authentication met Column: Beware wire fraud scams 03/18/2016 06:49am • Q: Where can I report people who are sending my company fake wire transfer scam messages? A: One of the fastest-growing Internet banking scams that specifically targets businesses is a very clever form of wire transfer phishing fraud. Heartland Financial, the parent company of more than 90 c 6 Scams and Frauds to Avoid This Tax Season 03/16/2016 08:00pm • During tax season, scammers, rip-off artists and other unscrupulous people are looking to get their hands on your tax refund. According to a 2015 Government Accountability Office report, the IRS prevented or recovered a total of $24.2 billion in fraudulent refunds stemming from identity theft in 20 How to Avoid Being a Victim of Tax-Time Identity Theft 03/02/2016 07:00pm • Tax-time identity theft is a growing problem in the U.S., and has the potential to cause you a headache and tie up your tax refund well into the summer months or beyond. Thieves intercept personal data and file tax returns in the name of unsuspecting people who only discover the problem when their o 3 Signs of a Bad Moving Company 02/25/2016 07:00pm • Americans move a lot -- enough that, if you think about it, American history would be nothing without the moving industry.From the prehistoric hunters who walked across the land bridge from Asia to Alaska to the Vikings, Pilgrims and immigrants who make their way to America today, it's clear that if New scam threatens arrest for skipping jury duty in Montgomery Co. 02/11/2016 04:17pm • WASHINGTON — You get a call from someone who says he’s with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. He tells you you're in trouble: You've missed jury duty and an arrest warrant will be issued unless you pay up, right now. Fifty of those calls were made in one week alone, and Sheriff’s De IRS says phone scam 'a major threat' 02/04/2016 12:12pm • WASHINGTON — This tax season has seen a surge in aggressive scammers calling up taxpayers nationwide. The callers claim to be with the IRS, say that a tax bill must be paid immediately, and threaten to send police to the victim’s door within the hour. This week the IRS sent out a new warning Answers to 7 Burning Tax Questions 01/25/2016 07:00pm • It's tax time.With the tax due date approaching, it's not too early to start planning to file your taxes. If you're ready to get started, here are answers to some common tax-related questions:Should you file online?In general, it's easier to file taxes online than by hand. Most Americans already fil How to Protect Your Loved Ones (and Yourself) From Financial Elder Abuse 01/25/2016 07:00pm • When Glynnis Walker Anderson got a call from her elderly mother's neighbor who said she had taken her mom's keys and wallet "for safekeeping," alarm bells went off in her head. Anderson, a writer based outside Chicago, worried that the neighbor was planning to use her mother's credit cards, so she c Company finishes contracted yard work after WTOP report 11/30/2015 03:04pm • WASHINGTON — A group of homeowners who say they were swindled by a tree removal company say the stumps that sat in their yards for months were finally removed following WTOP's story about the unfinished job. Joseph Gelo of Stafford County, Virginia, says he and his neighbors were happy to see M Watch out for utility scammers this holiday season 11/26/2015 05:36am • WASHINGTON -- ‘Tis the season for turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and scammers. Dominion Virginia is reminding customers to be on guard against scammers who are trying to trick them into making payments over the phone. “These people are skilled cold-callers who are scamming victims out o