Scammers are turning into armchair cops in King County, and it is costing residents real money. Local officials say crooks are posing as sheriff’s deputies and court staff over the phone and by text, leaning on fake authority and legal jargon to scare people into paying up on the spot. Victims have been talked into handing over thousands of dollars, including a man in SeaTac who sent $1,000, and a woman who was on her way to deliver $5,000 before officers intervened. The calls are getting slicker and are often aimed at older adults and people who are not native English speakers.
According to KIRO 7, the King County Sheriff’s Office says scammers are using legal terminology, made-up names and badge numbers, and technology that makes their number look like it belongs to the sheriff’s office. Sgt. Jason Houck told KIRO 7 that “the sheriff’s office will never call and ask you for money,” and he urged people to ask for a caller’s full name and badge number, then hang up and call the department’s non‑emergency line to check whether the call was real.
How the scam works
These fake-officer calls often use “spoofed” caller ID so the number appears to come from a local office. Scammers sometimes rattle off real addresses, such as the King County Courthouse, to sound more believable. As KIRO 7 reported, Sgt. Houck warned, “As soon as the money goes in there, they transfer it out of there to some other, typically foreign bank account.”
The King County Superior Court has posted a fraud alert noting it has seen caller‑ID spoofing and scam texts about supposed unpaid tolls. The court stresses that no one from Superior Court will call you to demand payment.
What to do if you get a call
If a caller or texter claims to be from law enforcement or the courts and wants money or personal information, hang up. Then, find the agency’s official number on its website or use the non‑emergency line and call back yourself. “No one from Superior Court will call you and ask for your personal information or request money,” the court’s fraud alert says, and it advises people to verify any unexpected notices on their own…