SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — The Spokane County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) reports an increase in phone scams where people call victims impersonating police officers demanding money payments.
SCSO said residents are receiving calls from the phone number 509-934-2797, claiming to be SCSO and using the name of Officer James Watson and Lieutenant Kevin Baxter, who neither work for nor are associated with SCSO.
The scammers impersonating police officers over the phone try to intimidate, trick, and threaten residents by asking for their money as payment for claimed crimes fees. They also demand residents over the phone to give their personal or banking information and identification.
SCSO said law enforcement, courts, or any reputable business will never call, threaten and demand residents for immediate payment using specific unrecoverable payment transactions.
If you receive one of these threatening calls, hang up and call Crime Check at 509-456-2233. You can also call the agency they claim to be representing, using a phone number you have verified.
You can also report SCAMS and find other resources on the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency or the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) webpage here.
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