The City of Falls Church Police Department issued a warning to the public today about a telephone scam that uses the threat of arrest to extort money and personal information from potential victims. 

Several residents have reported receiving unsolicited phone calls claiming they have an outstanding warrant for their arrest.

The caller claims to be an officer with the City of Falls Church Police Department and demands immediate payment for an alleged fine.

Through threats and intimidation, the caller attempts to convince residents to purchase prepaid debit cards and provide the identification numbers which allows the scammers to obtain the money from the cards.

Any citizen receiving a call of this nature with someone claiming to be a member of City of Falls Church law enforcement, should immediately hang up and verify the claim by calling the police non-emergency line, 703-241-5053 (TTY 711).

The City of Falls Church Police Department is reminding citizens that agency representatives have never and will never call to solicit funds or collect fines. The public is urged to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of a scam by following these crime prevention tips:

• Always be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls.
• Never use a phone number provided to you from the caller to verify their credibility.
• Never give money or personal information to someone with whom you don’t have ties and did not initiate contact.
• Trust your instincts: if an unknown caller makes you uncomfortable or says things that don’t sound right, hang up.

After making a verification call, if someone finds out they were a target or victim of a scam, they are advised to file a police report by calling the police non-emergency line, 703-241-5053 (TTY 711).