Stafford County cops warn residents after man falls victim to stimulus check scam
STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. (FOX 5 DC) - FOX 5 is hearing a stern warning to residents from law enforcement agencies in Northern Virginia amid a fraud case surrounding stimulus checks.
Investigators in Stafford County say a resident recently fell victim to a scam involving his social security number and thousands of dollars stolen in unemployment benefits.
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The victim called the Stafford County Sheriff's Office on Monday.
FOX 5’s Tisha Lewis reports often victims are too embarrassed to report the crime.
Investigators say the suspect behind the stimulus check scam has fled the area but not before fraudulently receiving $18,000 in unemployment benefits using the victim’s social security number.
The encounter reportedly took place in a Stafford neighborhood on Blueberry Court.
READ MORE: Stafford County cops say phone scammer swindled victims out of $8K
The suspect apparently told the victim she could help get him a stimulus check. That’s when investigators say the victim provided the suspect his social security number. It was later discovered the suspect used the stolen I.D. information to receive $18,000 in unemployment benefits before she left the area.
In this case, investigators say the suspect may have known the victim in some capacity.
It’s unclear if the encounter was in person, over the phone, or online.