Kingsport Police warn of scams

The Kingsport Police Department has issued a warning after noticing an increase in scams. Police say Kingsport residents have been scammed out of roughly $71,000 since May 31. Officials said that while the scams being reported are different, they typically target the elderly. In some cases, a pop-up alert appears on a victim’s computer telling them a virus has been detected and requesting money. Also, two recent Kingsport scams have involved perpetrators posing as law enforcement. Kingsport Police remind residents that law enforcement will never ask people to pay a fine or court cost over the phone or ask people to pay with prepaid cards or cryptocurrency. Anyone who is contacted by a scammer should call police.