Calls threaten restraining orders, but they’re phishing to steal your identity

The voice on the line tells you there’s a complaint that’s been filed against you and you only have 48 hours to respond or face a restraining order.

It sounds frightening but it’s just the latest phishing scam to get your credit card and other personal information.

Cassandra is a Burien resident who got one of the urgent sounding calls. She was told she only had 24 to 48 hours to take action.

“It came across as someone trying to intimidate me into giving them money. I was frightened that they were going to hit me with a restraining order,” she says.

She started panicking, trying to think if she had any old bills that she overlooked. For 24 hours, she was stressing out, wondering if she was going to face legal action.

Cassandra eventually called the number that was on the recording and the person who answered claimed it was a collection agency. It was at this point, she realized something was fishy.

“I asked them to give me the name of the company, and the person said something that didn’t exist,” she says. “Then I Googled the number and saw 80 different posts from people who’d gone through the same thing.”

The phone number was from Florida and the scammers have targeted people all across the country. Some victims were told they were being investigated for fraud for taking out loans they never repaid. Others were threatened to be hauled into court if they didn’t pay up.

State Attorney General Bob Ferguson says these types of phishing scams have become a lot more prevalent in recent years.

“They’re getting more sophisticated all the time. They can phish over the phone, or do it via e-mail where they request your bank account information,” he says. “I’ve even received some in my e-mail that look legit until you look at them a little more closely.”

Ferguson says you need to treat the e-mails and unsolicited phone calls with skepticism. Ask the person calling you to give you information or to read back your social security number without giving it to them. Usually, that’s enough to scare the scammers off.

The crooks, he says, will do anything to lure you into giving up your personal info so they can steal your identity, drain your bank account and ruin your credit.

“These folks prey on people who are feeling vulnerable. The key is to use common sense and never give out personal information. Always check with an individual entity, like the Attorney General’s office first.

If you need to report one of these phishers you can use the AG’s Consumer Hotline: 1-800-551-4636. You can also file an online complaint at atg.wa.gov.