As National Consumer Protection Week ends, Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones has issued a reminder to residents about the risks of scams and fraud. According to the Federal Trade Commission, more than $12.5 billion was lost to fraud in 2024.
“Unfortunately, scammers are working every day to trick Virginians into turning over their money or their important personal information, such as financial account information or social security numbers,” said Attorney General Jones. “While the total amount of money taken by fraud is staggering, even a small amount of money lost to a scam can be devastating when paying monthly bills. To protect themselves, Virginians need to be alert to common scams and signs that someone is trying to pull one off.”
Common scams highlighted by the Attorney General’s Office include government impostor scams involving individuals pretending to be from the IRS or other agencies, utility impostor scams where people threaten disconnection of services unless immediate payment is made, romance scams through fake online profiles requesting money, grandparent scams targeting older adults with urgent requests for funds, and lottery or sweepstakes schemes asking for fees to claim nonexistent prizes.
Attorney General Jones provided several tips for avoiding these types of fraud:
– Be wary if an offer seems too good to be true.
– Do not pay fees or taxes in advance for supposed winnings.
– Watch out for high-pressure tactics demanding immediate action.
– Verify who you are dealing with and do independent research.
– Never provide private banking or personal details unless you are sure of the recipient’s identity.
– Avoid untraceable payment methods like gift cards or cryptocurrency for unknown parties.
– Be cautious of emails with poor grammar or low-quality images.
– Examine email domains and web addresses closely for legitimacy.
– Check physical addresses; reluctance to provide one can signal a scam.
– Never give remote access to your computer unless you have confirmed who you are speaking with.
The Attorney General also encouraged anyone with questions or concerns about consumer matters to contact his Consumer Protection Section by phone at (800)552-9963, by email at consumer@oag.state.va.us, or through online forms.
The Office of the Attorney General supports civil rights enforcement and victim assistance programs across Virginia while offering legal counsel and representation to state agencies. It also promotes public safety and defends constitutional rights throughout the Commonwealth (official website). The office addresses issues such as human trafficking and domestic violence through legal advocacy and provides resources for reporting identity theft and fraud (official website).
