AG’s office warns of scammers looking to extract payment

Scammers making arrest threats and demanding payment are posing as the Washington State Supreme Court clerk, and calls so far have targeted people with Hispanic last names, according to the state Attorney General’s Office.

The state’s top court, the Attorney General’s Office said, would never call to threaten people with arrest or demand cash, nor would any other law enforcement body.

“These imposters prey on consumers’ fears to gain access to their bank accounts,” Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in a news release. “Washington court clerks have never and will never behave that way. I am committed to protecting consumers from this kind of deception.”

The court says it has received dozens of calls from state residents about scammers using fake caller ID information to make incoming calls appear to come from the court clerk’s office.

The scam callers typically tell targets they’re from the courts or police agencies, then threaten to arrest targets if recipients don’t send money.

The Attorney General’s Office advised anyone who gets a call like this to hang up immediately.

Don’t give in to high-pressure tactics, and don’t trust a caller who uses threats to bully or frighten, the Attorney General’s Office said, urging people to spread the word about the scam to friends and family.

Anyone who gets a suspicious call should file a complaint with the Washington State Attorney General’s Office at www.atg.wa.gov, or report it to the Federal Trade Commission online at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov.