DOBSON — The Surry County Sheriff’s Office recently alerted local citizens to a potential marketing scheme regarding out-of-state concealed-carry permit training.
Authorities became aware of the problem when two residents attempted to apply for a North Carolina permit at the sheriff’s office using a Virginia certificate of training.
“In both cases the individuals believed that the Virginia certificate qualified them to be eligible to apply for a North Carolina permit,” Sheriff Graham Atkinson said.
However, “The law in North Carolina is clear,” he said. “In order for a person to be eligible to apply for a concealed-carry permit that person must first attend a class conducted by an instructor who has been trained and certified by the N.C. Justice Academy.”
The sheriff said one of the individuals had attended a seated class while the other ordered the materials online, both under the impression the training would make them eligible in North Carolina.
“While North Carolina does have reciprocal agreements with some other states, in order to get a North Carolina concealed-carry permit you must be trained in North Carolina,” Atkinson said.
Also, while Virginia concealed-carry permits work in North Carolina, North Carolina permits do not work in Virginia.
One of the citizens under the impression that the training would qualify for a North Carolina permit complained to the source which had issued him his certificate.
He was offered an opportunity to purchase a Virginia permit for an additional charge, Atkinson said.
That man had already spent $70 on the training, according to the sheriff.
“He was upset,” he said. “He feels like he was scammed.”