Edmonds Police are seeing a sharp increase in sophisticated scams in which criminals impersonate law enforcement, government officials, or bank representatives. These schemes frequently target older adults and can result in devastating financial losses.
If you receive a suspicious call, text, email, or pop-up: hang up or disconnect immediately. Do not engage. Call a trusted family member or 911.
Please share this information with parents, grandparents, relatives, neighbors, and anyone else who may be vulnerable. While detectives investigate these cases, recovering money or identifying suspects is never guaranteed. Prevention is the best protection.
How These Scams Typically Work
- Victims are contacted by phone, text, email, or pop-up message from someone claiming to be a police officer, federal agent, or bank official. Never click links in these messages.
- Scammers falsely claim the victim is linked to a serious criminal investigation (often citing child exploitation, human trafficking, or drug trafficking) and face imminent arrest.
- They claim the victim’s phone is “bugged” or monitored and that bank employees cannot be trusted because they are supposedly involved.
- Victims are ordered to keep the conversation secret “to protect the investigation” and may be kept on the phone for hours under pressure and fear.
What Scammers Commonly Demand
- Wire large sums of money (sometimes in multiple transfers)
- Purchase gift cards and immediately share the card numbers and PINs
- Buy Bitcoin by depositing cash at a Bitcoin ATM
- Place cash or valuables in an envelope or package for pickup by a “courier”
Critical Reminders from Edmonds Police
- Law enforcement will never demand money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or secrecy.
- You will never be asked to hide an investigation from family, friends, or your bank.
- Never call a phone number provided in a link, text, or email. Instead, call 911 or the number on the back of your bank card.
- If you receive a call like this, hang up immediately and contact your local police department.
Edmonds Police urge you to share this warning with seniors and other community members. Education and awareness are among the most effective tools for preventing these crimes.
If you or someone you know has been targeted, report it immediately to local law enforcement.
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
