The nefarious actors of a popular scam would have to seek money and their applause elsewhere after failing to trick one astute Stafford resident.

Act one takes place on July 6th at 7:09 p.m. when Deputy C.R. Newman received the cue to respond to a scam. The main protagonist provided the following dialogue regarding his epic tale. He received a call from not Hamilton, but someone acting as a Dominion Power employee. That antagonist informed the protagonist of an overdue bill that was worth much more than a ticket to Broadway.

In act two, the Wicked scammer messaged the protagonist a barcode in order to pay the overdue bill. After hearing this Newsies, many might say “Mamma Mia!”. The mighty protagonist however, flipped the script and provided a textbook response. He hung up the phone and contacted the real Dominion Power, who confirmed there was no outstanding bill. This was like the Sound of Music to the protagonist.

For act three, we want to remind everyone to be mindful of scams, for they take many forms. Whether Annie, Aladdin, or even a Fiddler on the Roof contacts you, never give out personal information or send gift cards to those you do not know. If you are unsure of a scam, hang up the phone and directly contact the business using the phone number on their website. As for the Phantom of this Opera, whether he lives in Chicago or Oklahoma, the protagonist wished Deputy Newman luck in “catching these guys”. Hopefully then the scammers can exit stage right straight to Rappahannock Regional Jail.