Scammers targeting Spanish-speakers injured at work. WA issues warning
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- WA attorney warns Spanish-speaking injured workers in Northwest to beware of scams.
- Scammers impersonate officials and demand payment via gift cards, wires, or crypto.
- Washington agencies never request payment for workers’ compensation benefits or appeals.
Scammers are targeting Spanish-speakers injured at work across the Pacific Northwest, according to the Washington State Office of the Attorney General.
No complaints have been filed yet in Washington state, but the state attorney general’s office is warning that injured workers should be wary of scammers pretending they are official government employees, attorneys or judicial staff.
What to look out for
To appear legitimate, the scammers send messages including government agency seals, addresses and even signatures by government officials. They are reaching out to injured workers by phone, email, video call, text message, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and other social media apps.
After introducing themselves, scammers push injured workers to quickly pay money in exchange for helping them receive workers’ compensation benefits or a settlement. They request a payment in the form of gift cards, wire transfer or cryptocurrency. When the worker pays, the scammers take the money and cut off contact.
Scammers may even trick injured workers into participating in a fake workers’ compensation hearing online. These hearings may appear official because a fake judge appears and claims to have decided to compensate the worker.
Employers, the Washington state Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) and the Washington Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals will never ask for payment before providing workers’ compensation benefits.
How to report workers’ comp scams
The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services warned of this type of scam occurring in nearby states such as Idaho and Montana, according to a February news release.
Workers that believe they may have fallen victim to these scams can file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division of the Washington state Attorney General’s Office at this link for English and this link for Spanish.
If you think you received communication that appears to be from L&I or the Washington Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals, don’t send money or personal information. Verify by contacting L&I at 360-902-4229 or by email at InsServLanguageAccess1@LNI.wa.gov.