Virginians targeted by fraudsters posing as U.S. Marshals

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Fraudsters are once again posing as U.S. Marshals to scam money out of Virginians, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

On Monday, Aug. 11, the U.S. Marshals Service for the Eastern District of Virginia issued a scam alert involving fraudulent phone calls.

These scammers are "neighbor spoofing," or using technology to change how they appear on your caller ID when they contact you. In this case, they are impersonating phone numbers from the U.S. Marshals Service's local Virginia office.

According to officials, the scammers will tell their victims they missed jury duty or committed some other infraction, and that they must pay a fine to avoid arrest.

The scammer will tell the victim to buy a prepaid debit card or gift card to pay this fine. Some scammers have asked for cryptocurrency.

Despite any attempts these scammers make to sound credible, such as giving a badge number or using the actual names of law enforcement officials or federal judges, officials stress that these calls are always fraudulent.

No real law enforcement officer or government official will ask you to pay a fine over the phone like this. They will never ask you to provide any sensitive financial information over the phone for any purpose. They also do not accept gift cards.

If you're ever unsure, officials recommend hanging up on the caller and then contacting whatever agency they claimed to represent directly for assistance.

If you believe you have been a victim of this scam or any scam, you should report your experience to both your local FBI office and to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).