Chesapeake, Virginia – The Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office issued a public scam alert Friday after receiving reports of individuals impersonating deputies and attempting to collect money over the phone.
According to the sheriff’s office, callers falsely claim to represent “Chesapeake County” — which does not exist, as Chesapeake is an independent city — and tell residents they missed a court appearance. The scammers then allege deputies are on the way to make an arrest unless payment is made immediately.
Officials emphasized that law enforcement does not call residents to warn them about arrests and will never request payment by phone, particularly through Bitcoin, gift cards or other unsecured methods. Authorities also said they do not “negotiate” payment in lieu of arrest.
Residents who receive such calls are urged to hang up immediately and avoid providing personal or financial information.
The sheriff’s office asked anyone with questions or concerns to contact them directly at 757-382-6159 to verify legitimate communications.
Phone-based impersonation scams have increasingly targeted working adults and retirees, often using urgency and legal threats to pressure victims into fast payments.
Authorities remind the public to verify unexpected law enforcement calls through official channels before taking action.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input.
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