Tacoma Police warn of local phone scam collecting bank info, money using phony drug story
The Tacoma Police Department is warning residents of a reported phone scam with callers impersonating law enforcement to fraudulently obtain bank information and money transfers from victims.
According to the alert issued Saturday on its social media account, the callers are demanding banking information while impersonating police working a fake drug case with U.S. Border Patrol agents.
As the scam is described by police, the caller tells the person they are a Tacoma Police officer working with Border Patrol “and a package of drugs has been found with the victim’s name and address on it. Once the victim denies knowledge of the package, they demand the victim’s bank account numbers to verify.”
The department added that the scam “has resulted in money being transferred to the scammers.”
TPD in its alert said on Saturday, “No police agency will call your house and demand money be transferred over the phone. Not TPD, not (Pierce County Sheriff’s Department) not Border Patrol.”
The calls may involve spoofed numbers, where the caller ID looks to be legitimate.
TPD added that “Even if the phone number appears to come from a police agency, this is a SCAM!”
A similar scam was reported in the state in early 2021 targeting Latinos.
The scam is the latest twist on fraudulent phone calls involving phony officials. Recent well-known scams have involved phony outstanding warrant calls seeking money or gift cards as payment, or fake IRS agents demanding payment.
With open enrollment now happening for Medicare recipients, warnings also have been issued about scammers targeting elderly participants in health-care coverage related calls.
