EVERETT — Scammers are changing their tactics in Snohomish County and across the state, targeting residents with fake toll notifications, jury duty fraud and fraudulent arrest warrants.
These phone scams are becoming more sophisticated and widespread, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s office said.
“Scams are just out of control lately,” Courtney O’Keefe, spokesperson for the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office said.
Here are four of many scams — both new and long-standing — that officials say residents should be aware of.
Toll scam
The Washington State Department of Transportation issued a warning on March 14 about fraudulent text messages claiming overdue toll payments. The messages direct victims to a fake website, threatening legal action.
“Anything we’d be texting you about would be visible on your account dashboard,” WSDOT stated in a social media post. “If you don’t have an account and have not otherwise given us your phone number, we would not be texting you.”
O’Keefe advises residents to avoid clicking on suspicious links and instead visit the official Washington state toll website: MyGoodToGo.com.
Jury duty scam
Reports of jury duty scams have increased, with scammers impersonating officials and using real names of county employees to appear legitimate, O’Keefe said. These scammers call victims, claim to be from the sheriff’s office or another agency and demand payment through prepaid gift cards or debit cards. Often, they falsely assert that the recipient missed jury duty and now faces arrest unless they pay immediately.
Many victims have lost thousands of dollars to this scam, which is difficult to investigate, O’Keefe said. However, she emphasized that missing jury duty does not result in fines. While this scam has existed for years, the sheriff’s office reports a recent uptick in activity.
Arrest Warrant Scam
In a warning issued on Oct. 4, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office alerted residents about scammers posing as law enforcement and demanding payments via Bitcoin or wire transfers.
Scammers use intimidation tactics, pressuring victims to pay to have a warrant “lifted” or claiming they will be arrested unless they provide money immediately, the post said.
Officials urge residents to hang up immediately if they receive such calls. No legitimate law enforcement or government agency will ever demand money over the phone or via email, the post stated.
To verify jury duty obligations, residents can contact Snohomish County Superior Court’s Jury Administration at 425-388-3397. Suspected scams should be reported to the non-emergency line at 425-407-3999.
Inmate bail scam
A newer scam involves scammers using the Snohomish County Jail Inmate Registry to trick people into sending bail money, O’Keefe said. Scammers research real inmates and contact their family, friends and employers, claiming they were listed as a contact for bail. They then send a fraudulent Zelle payment link.
This scam is particularly deceptive because when victims look up the inmate, they find that the person is indeed in jail, making the scam appear legitimate, O’Keefe said.
The Sheriff’s Office reiterated in a post about the scam that they will never call and ask for bail money. If you receive such a call, hang up immediately, the post said.
How to protect yourself
Scams may now be more prevalent due to advancements in technology that allow scammers to spoof phone numbers and use AI-generated voices, O’Keefe said.
“If you fall victim to a scam, contact your bank immediately to see if the money can be recovered,” said Natalie Given, spokesperson for the Everett Police Department.
In general, officials advise never clicking on links in suspicious emails or texts. Instead, call the relevant agency directly using an official phone number to verify any claims.
Aspen Anderson: 425-339-3192; aspen.anderson@heraldnet.com; X: @aspenwanderson.
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