Scammers trying new tricks. 2 Tri-Citians fooled into sending $18,000 and $10,000
Scammers are now using building permits to squeeze money out of unwitting Tri-Cities residents.
A Kennewick resident got a call from a scam artist claiming the victim needed to pay the city’s “Business Development Department” for a building permit.
The problem for the fraudster is the person didn’t have a building permit, and the city doesn’t have a Business Development Department, said Kennewick police.
“The astute victim recognized this and called the city to let us know,” police said on Facebook.
It’s the first time Lt. Aaron Clem has heard of scam artists using a building permit as a way to scare people into sending money.
“This is what they do though. They’re always coming up with new ways to scam people,” he said. “Generally all of these scams have something to do with some agency in authority because that gives them more credibility.”
While Kennewick hasn’t seen an increase in the number of scams, there have been a few high-profile fraud cases where people sent thousands of dollars through the mail.
In one case, Kennewick police were able to stop a package with $10,000 that was heading to Texas.
The crook claimed to be from the Social Security Administration and told the elderly resident that there was a problem with the person’s social security number.
While police were able to stop the package, they haven’t caught up with the people waiting for it to arrive.
In another Kennewick case, police were a little too late to stop a package that was sent to Ohio with $18,000. The scam artists in that case claimed to be from a different agency to convince the person to send the money.
How to avoid scams
The Federal Trade Commission offers four tips that people can use to spot a fraud.
▪Fraudsters often pose as an organization or government agency that you know, such as Social Security, the IRS or Medicare.
▪They will tell you that there is a problem or a prize.
▪Scammers will pressure you to act immediately.
▪They’ll tell you to pay in a specific way, often with gift cards or a money transfer.
When you get these calls, the best course of action is to hang up, Clem said. The callers are good at convincing people that they are legitimate.
“They are going to try to talk you into believing them,” he said. “No governmental agency is going to call to demand that you send them money or a gift card to pay a bill.”
If you have any concerns, hang up and find a phone number for the agency and call it directly.
In addition, Clem urged people to talk with loved ones, especially elderly residents, about these scams. There are people who don’t see the reports about scam artists, and aren’t familiar with their tactics.
If you discover that you’ve been scammed, call your local police department immediately, he said.
This story was originally published March 11, 2021 at 12:43 PM.