We Will NOT Call & Demand Money for Warrants/Fines - EVER
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office/Spokane Valley Police Department continues to receive reports of scammers trying to lie, intimidate, trick, and threaten people into giving up their hard-earned money or personal information, leaving them vulnerable to identity theft.
Law Enforcement, Courts, or any other government agency will never call you and demand prepaid credit cards for immediate payment while threatening arrest, but scammers will, so don’t be duped.
Theses scammers/criminals continue to call, spewing their scandalous, fictitious lies, threaten people with arrest, and spreading fear while trying to trick people into immediately purchasing prepaid credit cards to avoid going to jail.
In the most recent scam, the person claims to be “Sergeant Lance”. The scammer states the victim failed to appear for a summons and now has a warrant for their arrest. This is a SCAM.
The problem, in this case, the scammers have a correct name, which isn’t hard to find by searching the internet, and they are “spoofing” the phone number on caller ID, falsely displaying one of our actual phone numbers. (Spoofing: is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity.)
How does someone know this is a scam? Because we will never call anyone and demand immediate payment while threatening arrest. It WILL NOT happen.
One potential victim said the scammer was very convincing and almost had him tricked into following the scammer’s directions, but his wife called Crime Check 509-456-2233 or 911 and verified it was a scam before they lost their money.
Several scams are active in the area right now, the IRS scam, the social security scam, Publisher’s Clearing House Scam, and others.
What do all these scams have in common? These criminals use fear to insist you pay your “fine” immediately to avoid arrest, provide them with personal banking information, or provide them with account/computer login/password information.
The stories change, but the general plot remains the same. They threaten your arrest, tell you someone hacked your computer/bank accounts or stole your identity online. They are convincing and forceful, assuring you of certain doom. However, they are calling to help “save” you from this catastrophe as long as you follow their instructions.
Don’t fall for this. Hang up and do some research if you believe the story “might” be true. Only call the agency in question at phone numbers you have verified online, not the phone numbers they tell you to call. NEVER provide your personal backing information, social security number, or computer access passwords to anyone you don’t know and trust with your financial future because that’s what is on the line.
People who receive calls from scammers can report the information to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/?pid=A or Crime Check at 509-456-2233.
The FTC website has additional information, tips, and different scamming alerts.
This is a Scam!! Don’t LOSE your money.