Here’s what the West Richland police chief did when phone scammers called him
Scam artists picked the wrong would-be victim when they called the West Richland police chief this week.
The callers tried to warn Chief Ben Majetich about suspicious activity with his Social Security number and that it was about to be suspended.
That started the chief on a more than 6-minute attempt to get the callers to explain “all the suspicious activity.”
“I thought it would be entertaining to give them a call to see what they have to say,” the chief said.
The scammers didn’t seem to know what to do when someone called them back.
On the first call, someone answered “Social Security Office,” but then hung up.
“That phone call came from Kentucky, and the guy who answered didn’t seem to have a Kentucky accent,” said the chief.
When Majetich tried the same number again, the call was answered in a foreign language.
On the fourth attempt using a different phone, the chief was told someone would call back but they never did.
Social Security number scams stole $10 million from more than 35,000 victims in 2018, said the Federal Trade Commission.
“Your Social Security number is not about to be suspended,” the agency warned. “You don’t have to verify your number to anyone who calls out of the blue. And your bank accounts are not about to be seized.”
If you’re concerned about a Social Security number call, you can call 800-772-1213.
In Benton and Franklin counties, you can also contact local police through the non-emergency dispatch number at 509-628-0333.
This story was originally published January 18, 2020 at 5:00 AM.