VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — With scams on the rise, Sheriff Rocky Holcomb has set up Virginia Beach's first Consumer Protection Unit to fight against them.
“I am very proud to introduce the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office Consumer Protection Unit. We cannot sit idly by and let these scammers get away with cheating law-abiding citizens out of their hard-earned money, especially under the guise of law enforcement,” Holcomb said. “We will do everything in our power to help citizens protect themselves, put these criminals out of business and make them pay the consequences of their illegal actions.”
According to VBSO, reports of fraud, theft, and other scams have increased almost 55% totaling $10 billion in losses in 2023.
Not even law Enforcement is immune to the scam attempts, with Holcomb telling 13News Now Friday, "[A man] called and said ‘I work at the sheriff’s office, I’m Deputy Smith’, or whatever the name, and the Sergeant was like, ‘I’m Sargent Smith, I work here too, and I don’t think I know you.'"
Though VBSO frequently reminds people it will never call you to ask for money, law enforcement impersonation scams are still emptying pockets. In Virginia Beach, the most common scam is the jury duty scam, where scammers impersonate deputy sheriffs demanding money for missed jury duty.
"What happens is somebody calls and says, ‘Hey I just got a call from Deputy so-and-so from the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office, and they have indicated that I’ve missed jury duty, and if I pay them $500 cash, they won’t take me to jail,'" Holcomb explained. He added, scammers are creative with their tactics. "They’re actually using the name of real deputy sheriffs, so if check our roster, that name is on our staff," Holcomb said. "They’ve drilled it down to having the same prefix as here at the correctional center."
The Consumer Protection Unit will help scam victims and educate the community about proactive measures to protect themselves.
Sheriff Holcomb said, "We have resources available that we will make sure that we get the help we need to these folks, but I go back to this: educate, educate, educate."
Here's what officers recommend to avoid scams:
Do not share personal information over the phone or online unless you know the recipient's identity.
Verify the legitimacy of charities before making donations.
Use strong, unique passwords for online accounts and enable two-factor authentication.
Be cautious of unsolicited emails and links from unknown sources
“At our core, we are committed to ensuring the safety and security of every member of our community. Our mission goes beyond locking up offenders, it's also about empowering our community to protect themselves and avoid becoming crime victims,” Holcomb said. “We are dedicated to equipping people with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the increasingly complex landscape of scams and fraud.”
The Consumer Protection Unit has a page on VBSO's website. There, you can report scamming attempts, based on the type.