A worried father sent an unknown person about $4,000 over three months because of a text message that threatened the arrest of his daughter if he did not comply.
The James City County Police Department is investigating after a 43-year-old man reported he had been blackmailed by two people with whom he had been text messaging. Maj. Stephen Rubino said the man received a text from a person who claimed to be a woman and that he struck up a relationship with her via text.
Rubino said there is not any information on the nature of their relationship other than the woman claimed to be a prostitute and a drug addict. There is not any indication where she was. The man never met anyone connected to the incident.
Shortly thereafter, he received a text message from someone claiming to be the woman’s attorney. That text message threatened to have his daughter arrested if he did not start sending money. Rubino said it is unclear what the daughter would have been arrested for.
Rubino said to never disclose any personal identification numbers or banking numbers to any source that is not 100 percent confirmed. The same holds true for giving out credit card numbers and wiring money.
Anyone with any concerns about potentially being the victim of fraud or blackmail should contact the James City County Police Department.