Multiple scams over the course of three days bilked Washington state residents out of more than $670,000, according to a Facebook post from the local sheriff’s office.
One of those scams involved an elderly resident handing roughly $420,000 in gold to a man that showed up on their driveway.
Here’s what you should know about the recent spate of scams, and how to protect yourself from falling victim to them.
Scammers Pose as Microsoft, FTC Employees
Four residents of Clallam County, a coastal region west of Seattle along northern Washington’s peninsula, lost more than $673,000 in just three days, according to the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
The scammers used several different sophisticated tactics, including posing as Microsoft and Federal Trade Commission employees.
The smallest amount lost was $3,500, which someone purchased in Apple gift cards for a scammer posing as an employee with Microsoft technical support, the sheriff’s office wrote. Another person lost $50,000 after they clicked on a malicious email and unwittingly granted the scammers access to their financial accounts.
Another $200,000 was lost when a 64-year-old resident was coerced into downloading a fake app by someone they believed worked for the cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase.
Handing Over $420,000 in Gold
The largest scam targeted an 84-year-old individual who handed roughly $420,000 worth of gold to someone who showed up at their driveway, after scammers had successfully tricked them into believing they were under investigation by the FTC for alleged child pornography and money laundering charges.
According to a news release cited by local media outlet, Peninsula Daily News, “The scammers instructed the victim not to contact local law enforcement and claimed local banks were also under investigation. The victim was told their bank accounts were in danger of being seized and was instructed to purchase gold to protect their assets.”
The victim then purchased around $420,000 in gold and, when a man showed up on the driveway, handed it over. It wasn’t until the person contacted their bank that they realized they had been duped.
Scammers ‘Prey on Fear, Trust and Urgency’
The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately return USA TODAY’s request for more information about the recent scams.
“These criminals are professional manipulators who prey on fear, trust and urgency,” Undersheriff Lorraine Shore said in the release. “We encourage everyone to pause before sending money, purchasing gold or gift cards, or transferring cryptocurrency. A simple phone call to a trusted family member, your bank or local law enforcement can prevent a life-changing financial loss.”
Stop, Think, Contact Someone Trustworthy
The sheriff’s office shared several tips to avoid being scammed. Most importantly, reputable companies such as Microsoft and Coinbase, as well as government agencies, will never:
Tell you not to contact a law enforcement agency.
Ask you to buy gold, gift cards or cryptocurrency and send it to them.
Send someone to your home to collect gold, cash or other valuables.
Ask for remote access to your computer or phone.
Before sending any information that could be compromised, or money or valuables, it is imperative that people stop, hang up the phone or log off the web, and consult with a trusted institution – whether that be a family member, a friend, a bank or a law enforcement agency.
“These criminals are professional con artists,” the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office noted in its Facebook post. “They create fear, urgency, and trust to convince victims to act before they have time to think.”
Drew Pittock covers national trending news for USA TODAY. He can be reached at [email protected].
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