Manassas Police warn that requests for prepaid cards often indication of fraud
Manassas City Police Department
Crime Report
April 7, 2016
Fraud on Craigslist
On April 1, 2016, Manassas City Police met with a resident for a report of a fraud. The reporting party, a 21-year-old female of Manassas, told officers that she was became a victim of a scam after responding to an ad on Craigslist classifieds. According to the victim, the seller responded by email and asked her to pay for the vehicle in multiple increments using prepaid cards. The victim purchased the prepaid cards and provided the card numbers to the caller over the phone. The seller then requested an additional amount from the victim for “shipping costs” using the same payment method. The victim complied but the ad was removed from Craigslist. She neither heard back from the seller nor received the vehicle.
*Crime Prevention Tip
Despite public perception, scam artists don’t discriminate based on age. Children, adolescents, adults, and seniors are ALL at risk for becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft, especially when they target their victims online. Payments by prepaid cards are a red flag that something isn’t normal, whether someone is asking you to use them to pay a bill or purchase an item or service. Take advantage of Craigslist’s tips on “Avoiding Scams
” to learn more ways you can protect yourself – and even spot scams in advance – while you cruise the classifieds. When in doubt, take the time to consult a trusted friend, family member, or police officer.
Breaking & Entering
On April 3, 2016, Manassas City Police met with a resident on the 9000 block of Portner Ave for a report of a breaking and entering. The reporting party told officers that sometime between 1 a.m. and 8 a.m., someone attempted to enter her residence by breaking a window pane located near a deadbolt on a rear door.
Motor Vehicle Theft
On April 2, 2016, Manassas City Police met with a resident on the 8900 block of Cannon Ridge Dr for a report of a stolen auto. The reporting party told officers that sometime between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m., someone stole her green 2002 Toyota Camry (valued at $4,000) from where it was parked in the area of Tackett Ave and King Carter St. Several items including a mirror and a briefcase, valued together at $1,250, were also in the trunk at the time of the theft. On April 3, officers recovered the vehicle and returned it to its owner. To date no arrest has been made.
**END**
Anyone with information about these events is encouraged to call the Manassas City Police Department Investigative Services Division at (703) 257-8092 or Crime Solvers. The Manassas City/Manassas Park Crime Solvers
will pay a cash reward up to $1000.00 for information that leads to an arrest in these cases. The confidential 24-hour tip line is (703) 330-0330.
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