Scammers Impersonate Washington State Patrol, Request Personal Info

Scammers are targeting Yakima residents this month with an old scam you've probably heard about. It's the old impersonation scam in which scammers impersonate the local authorities, requesting personal Information.

THE SCAMMERS USE THREATENING LANGUAGE

This time the scammers say they're from the Washington State Patrol and they call requesting personal or financial information while threatening legal action even arrest or fines. A post on the Yakima County Sheriff's Office Facebook page warns of the scam.

WASHINGTON STATE PATROL TROOPERS SAY THEY WOULD NEVER CALL TO;

• Request your bank, credit, or debit card information.
• Solicit money for fundraising, fines, or fees.
• Ask for personal information like your social security number or passwords.

Authorities say if you receive a suspicious call claiming to be from the WSP:

• Do not respond to questions.
• Ask for the caller’s name and gather as much information as possible.
• Hang up.
• Call 911 to verify the legitimacy of the call.

AUTHORITIES SAY USE YOUR COMMON SENSE AND STAY ALERT

Yakima Police and officials with the Yakima County Sheriff's Office say many older people become victims of impersonation scams every year in the Yakima because the scammers threaten and scare older consumers. Authorities say warn your parents and grandparents because the scammers target the elderly.

THE PUBLISHER CLEARING HOUSE SCAM IS ALSO LOOKING FOR VICTIMS

Another popular scam authorities also warned about includes the Publisher Clearing House Scam. Victims get a phone call saying they've won money but need to pay a fee to claim the money. That's not how the legitimate prize is awarded and authorities say that's the first red flag. The scammers keep trying to find victims in Yakima because they've been successful in the past.
In fact Yakima Police say in 2017 a Yakima man lost upwards of $10,000 in the Publishers Clearing House scam.
READ MORE; Yakima mother arrested for threatening her children.