Manassas City Police issues alert on public safety phone scam

Manassas City Police Department wants to alert the public regarding a phone scam that has been reported in the city and county.

Several businesses and residents have reported receiving calls from solicitors who claim to be contacting them on behalf of the Manassas City Police Department.  The solicitors try to sell items or request funds for various public safety programs.

According to Patty Prince, the city’s communications coordinator,  Manassas City Police Department does not employ third party vendors to request funding or make sales.

These callers are NOT associated with the City of Manassas and should be ignored.

Should the police department decide to use a third party in the future, the city will make an announcement to the public in advance, Prince said.

Anyone can be a target for fraud, no matter what his or her age.  The following are signs that a person calling you to pitch a sales offer or request a donation is potentially a scam artist:

·    The caller seems impatient, pushy or rude. He or she might also be overly complimentary, try to tug on your heartstrings, or try to relate to you in a specific way through what is called forced teaming (“You’re a vet, I’m a vet – let’s help other veterans like us.”)

·    The caller insists that you make a decision while he or she has you on the phone.

·    The caller does not or cannot produce any written material or a website upon request.

Never give out your personal or financial information over the phone if you did not initiate the call.  Remember, if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. 

The easiest way to avoid becoming a victim is to hang up the phone and report the incident to local Police on the non-emergency line (City of Manassas non-emergency - 703-257-8000). 

For more information on ways to avoid falling victim to phone scams, go to http://www.manassascity.org/police