Virginia State Police warn people about 'automated traffic ticket' email scam

(WWBT) - Virginia State Police is warning everyone about an email scam that tells people they are receiving an "automatic traffic ticket" from police.

"The Virginia State Police does not use or issue digital/automated traffic tickets or summonses. Anyone receiving such an email should delete it and not click on any links provided in the email," said police.

A state police spokesperson says the email scam is being used by scammers to harass people under the guise of Virginia State Police.

Here are some tips on how to protect oneself from scams:

• Never open or click on a link in an email from an unknown email address, individual or organization. To check the validity of an email, locate the entity’s website and call to determine if it is a legitimate email. The same goes for an individual.
• Never give out personal information, credit card numbers, bank account information, etc. to an unknown individuals or entities via the phone or email.
• For additional tips on how to protect yourself and identifying common scams, click here.

Copyright 2017 WWBT NBC12. All rights reserved

Report an Error or Submit a Tip to NBC12