Published: October 24, 2008 10:30 pm      

Military families scammed

TAZEWELL, Va. — A telephone scammer is targeting area residents with family members serving in the military, police warned Friday.

The Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office is investigating several reports of a telephone scam where the caller claims a family member in the military is stuck, trying to get home and needs money, Sheriff H.S. Caudill said.

The caller, who claims to be helping the family member, apparently knows all of their personal details and information. The scammer will then ask for money to be sent to them in Toronto, Canada, to help the family member in the military get home.

At least one victim has sent money to the telephone scammer, sheriff’s department spokeswoman Randy Ann Davis said.

“The sheriff was really upset,” Davis said. “That is why he wanted to get the word out.”

Caudill is advising all residents of Tazewell County to be cautious if they are contacted by someone who is attempting to solicit money for family members serving in the military.

Caudill said most military agencies don’t have anyone to solicit money, and if they do it’s not usually by an individual. Secondly, Caudill said if you think that the individual may be from an area military unit or church group, they should ask for identification so they can verify the caller is from the organization he or she claims to represent.

Davis said officials are still investigating how the scam caller has been able to identify residents of Tazewell County with family members serving in the military.

Caudill said anyone who thinks they may have been a victim of the scammer or taken advantage of through a similar scam is urged to contact the sheriff’s office at (276) 988-5966, extension 159 and ask for the captain of detectives.

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com