WASHINGTON – Virginians are being warned about a bold, new sweepstakes fraud in which the scammers claim to be from the attorney general’s office.

Victims say they received a realistic-looking check in the mail and a phone call from someone claiming to be from the office of the attorney general.

“If you have to pay, there is no prize,” Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said in a news release. No legitimate sweepstakes requires payment before collecting prizes.

The attorney general also warns that con artists often use official-sounding names to win trust.

Recipients of similar letters or phone calls should always try to verify the identity of anyone calling and claiming to represent a business or a government agency.

Also, never give unsolicited telephone callers Social Security numbers, bank account numbers or credit card numbers.

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