Q: I was called by a police officer who claimed I missed an appointment to take DNA (or something similar). He said there’s a warrant out for my arrest, but that I can avoid being arrested by coming to the local police station and paying the fine. Is this real?
A: This is a known scam. The police will not call you to let you know that you’re going to be arrested, and they certainly will not request any money over the phone. If this scam happens to you, you should call the Virginia State Police at (804) 674-2000 and let them know.
Q: I was contacted by phone/email by a person who claimed that they were going to turn over some vague “evidence” to the police unless I paid them money. They said they received this information from someone I know. Should I be concerned and/or pay this person?
A: This is a known scam. Even if you have skeletons in your closet, their contact with you is almost certainly a coincidence. Any references to people you know just a ploy–found from Facebook or some service that identifies friends and family. You should not pay this person. If this contact came through an app or website, you should contact the fraud department of that service.
Q: I received a flier in the mail/email from an “online reputation management” company. It offered to remove my information from the internet. Is this legit?
A: While there are many online reputation management companies, most (and potentially all) will not assist with reputation management for anyone on the registry. Should you receive anything directly concerning your status as a registered citizen, you should presume it is a scam. Should you choose to investigate their services, proceed with extreme caution.
Q: Where do I find any restrictions specific to my locality?
A: There are none. Virginia is a Dillon Rule state. This rule significantly curtails the rule-making ability of localities. As such, the only Virginia-specific restrictions that those on the registry in the Commonwealth need to abide by are those in the Virginia Code.
