CHESTERFIELD — Chesterfield Police Department is alerting residents of a new online scam involving emails falsely claiming to be from PayPal, advising of a fraudulent transaction on their accounts.
According to the police, the deceptive email prompts the recipient to call a provided phone number to resolve the supposed issue.
When the number is dialed, the scammer on the other end requests personal information, specifically targeting the victim’s PayPal account details.
Chief Rouse advises community members who have received such emails and are considering calling the given number to refrain from sharing any personal information over the phone.
He emphasizes the importance of verifying the legitimacy of the business or bank before proceeding with any telephonic communication.
Residents who suspect they are not dealing with a genuine entity are urged to hang up immediately and contact the company or bank using officially listed contact information.
The police department encourages anyone who has received a suspicious email or phone call to report the incident to the authorities.
Chief Rouse’s message to the public is clear: stay vigilant against scams and protect your personal information.
