This browser does not support the Video element.
KING COUNTY, Wash. - The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPA) is warning the public of a new phone scam targeting residents in the area.
Victims of the scam have reported receiving phone calls from someone impersonating law enforcement officers. In some cases, the scammers pretend to work for the King County Sheriff's Office.
According to the KCPA, victims have reported the caller accusing them of failing to appear in court as a witness, or failing to respond to a subpoena. The scammer then claims the ‘judge’ has issued a civil fine, a criminal contempt of court citation and/or an arrest warrant for the recipient of the call.
RELATED: 76-year-old now homeless after being scammed out of $800k life-savings
The caller then goes on to say that the only way to resolve the issue is to send a large amount of money using Zelle, or other forms of transfering money, or an officer will find and arrest the victim.
The KCPA says the scammers have also used the following steps to appear legitimate:
- Identify as law enforcement officers providing names and badge numbers which may belong to real officers
- Have other scammers pose as officers or other officials to help strengthen their case
- "Spoof" legitimate phone numbers, so the caller ID shows the call to becoming from the sheriff's office
- Reference a fake case number, using as the case number of the victim's subpoena
- Claim the victim has received legal papers at a legitimate address currently or formally associated with the victim
- Initially claim that the victim needs to physically meet with officer or judge, but later say that money can just be paid
The King County Sheriff's Office would like to make it clear that they will never ask for money over the phone, and will never arrest you for not paying.
Renton police warn of 'police imposter scam' trying to steal money, personal info
The Renton Police Department is warning residents about an impersonation attempt of Chief Jon Schuldt. Scammers are trying to get personal information and money from potential victims.
The King County Sheriff's Office offers these tips on how to respond in these situations:
- Don’t panic. The scammers making these calls are intentionally using high pressure tactics to create a sense of urgency in order to get you to act without thinking. This threat is not legitimate. Even if you take no action you will not be arrested or charged with a crime
- If you still have questions about the legitimacy of the call, directly contact the law enforcement agency the caller claims to be from. If you choose to do this, remember that the call you received may have come from a number that has been "spoofed," so independently confirm the correct phone number and call it by manually entering the number into your phone. Do not simply use your phone’s redial function or click on a link provided. The King County Sheriff’s Office 24-hour non-emergency phone number is 206-296-3311
- Write down any information you can gather about the call. This may include the time you received it, what number showed on your called ID and any statements made by the fraudulent caller. While a recording of the conversation may be helpful to law enforcement, in Washington it is illegal to record someone without first telling them the conversation will be recorded. So, if you decide to record the call, give them notice, turn on the recorder, and then repeat your notice
- Contact your local law enforcement agency to report the attempted fraud. The non-emergency number for the Seattle Police Department, for example, is 206–625–5011, and you also can make a report online. Save the documentation regarding the report after you’ve filed it
- The Federal Trade Commission has launched a new website designed to make it easier for people to report potential frauds to federal authorities and get quick advice on what to do. The new website at ReportFraud.ftc.gov has a feature that prompts those reporting a fraud to the "next steps" that will offer specific guidance based on the kind of scam reported
- If the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has actually charged you with a crime notify your attorney
- If you actually have been legitimately served with a subpoena, check-in with the attorney or court that issued it