RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia State Police is warning citizens about an “automated traffic ticket email scam” being used by scammers to demand money for unpaid traffic tickets.
“The email scam is just one of numerous tactics used by scammers to harass individuals under the guise of being the Virginia State Police,” a VSP spokesperson wrote.
State Police said they do not use or issue digital/automated traffic tickets or summonses.
The department is warning anyone who receives the email to not click on any links provided and delete it immediately.
(Example of phishing email)
This scam notice comes one month after the department warned citizens about state police phone numbers being cloned by scammers demanding money and/or threatening individuals with arrest warrants.
State Police advised residents who received the calls to hang up immediately.
Here are some tips from VSP to protect you from similar scams:
- Never open or click on a link in an email from an unknown email address, individual or organization. To check the validity of an email, locate the entity’s website and call to determine if it is a legitimate email. The same goes for an individual.
- Never give out personal information, credit card numbers, bank account information, etc. to an unknown individuals or entities via the phone or email.
- For additional tips on how to protect yourself and identifying common scams, go to www.usa.gov/scams-and-frauds.
