RENTON, Wash. — Scammers posing as deputies from the King County Sheriff’s Office are calling residents trying to extort money, and threatening immediate arrest if they don’t comply.
Sergeant Val Kelly of the King County Sheriff’s Office reported a noticeable uptick in scam calls over the past few weeks, specifically in calls where individuals are impersonating deputies.
In the scam, victims get calls claiming they missed jury duty, and now they owe fines that must be paid immediately over the phone. If not, the scammer says there’s a warrant out for your arrest.
The tactic has been alarming for many residents. One anonymous victim shared her experience, stating: “It sounded so legit, it was terrifying.”
She described being told she owed thousands of dollars and would face arrest if she hung up the call.
Sgt. Kelly stressed that the sheriff’s office will never call regarding jury duty, nor request payment over the phone.
She added that it’s important not react out of fear.
“They’re going to be very convincing because they want you to pay money immediately over the phone. Please do not do that,” she advised.
Instead, Kelly encourages anyone who receives such calls to take a moment to do some research.
Social media is a good place to start as many law enforcement agencies post updates on these types of scams or simply call your local law enforcement office.
Authorities warn against visiting any locations given by the callers and advise against sharing personal information, like home addresses and bank and credit card details.
One scammer left a voicemail, including a phone number.
KIRO 7 called that number, and the fake deputy answered. When pressed about why he was calling people about ‘urgent matters,’ he abruptly hung up.
The scam has also been reported across Snohomish County.
If you receive a scam call like this, authorities ask you to hang up and report any suspicious calls to your local law enforcement agency via the non-emergency line.
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