Scam Caller Pretends To Be Vienna Officer: Police

VIENNA, VA — A scam caller posed as a Vienna police officer in a call to a Fairfax County resident on Sept. 13, according to the town's police department.

The caller avoided the attempted fraud by getting officers involved. Around 12:55 p.m., the resident came into the Vienna Police Station while on the phone with the scammer. He told officers the caller was claiming to be a Vienna police officer and attempted to defraud him of money. An officer got on the phone and identified himself to the scammer, who hung up.

The call had appeared to be from the Vienna police non-emergency number. This is a common tactic of scammers known as spoofing, which allows scammers to falsify the information on your caller ID. The FCC offers tips to avoid spoofing and other scams.

"Spoofing telephone numbers is a common scam that is used in an attempt to defraud citizens out of money," the Vienna Police Department wrote in a statement. "Our department does not make calls in an attempt to collect money."

The resident was advised to file a report in Fairfax County about the scam.

Below are other notable police incidents in Vienna between Sept. 13 and 19. To report information about an incident, call police at 703-255-6366.

Vehicle Tampering 19-009571

600 Block Beulah Road, NE
Between September 12 at 9:00 p.m. and September 13 at 9:00 a.m.
A resident reported that an unknown person entered her two unlocked vehicles and rummaged through them. Nothing appeared to have been taken.

Grand Larceny 19-009683

Whole Foods
143 Maple Avenue, East
September 15 8:00 p.m.
A resident advised that he rode his bicycle to Whole Foods and left it unsecured against the railing. When he returned a short time later, he found an unknown person had taken the bicycle.

Petit Larceny 19-009789

Meadow Lane Park
501 Meadow Lane, SW
September 19 between 4:36 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
A resident reported that she brought her daughter and her daughter’s friend to Meadow Lane Park for softball practice. The girls left their gear in the dugout, and the resident and the two girls walked over to the playground. When they returned to the field, the girls found their bags had been rifled through. One of the girls was missing their face mask and bat from their bag.