Edmonds police investigate scams involving fake Microsoft and FTC agents

The Edmonds Police Department (EPD) is investigating a “sophisticated scam” in which fraudsters impersonate representatives from Microsoft and the Federal Trade Commission to take large sums of cash from victims.

According to police, the scammers contact victims electronically with false claims that their accounts are involved in illegal activity and direct them to hand over cash to individuals in public places.

Police said the scammers initiate contact through emails or computer pop-up notifications warning victims that their bank accounts and identities have been compromised. The notifications claimed the information is tied to illegal activities such as child pornography, gun trafficking, and dark web operations. The messages provide a telephone number for victims to call to resolve the issue.

When victims called the number, individuals initially claimed to be from Microsoft. Callers transferred victims through multiple representatives before ending with someone claiming to be an agent from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

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The impersonators then instructed victims to withdraw large amounts of cash from their bank accounts. EPD said victims are directed to package the cash, following precise instructions, take photos of the package and money, and send those images to the suspects.

To collect the funds, scammers directed victims to meet a designated individual in a public place, typically a busy parking lot. In some instances, fraudsters provided a specific code word for the victim to give the person picking up the money to confirm their identity.

Suspects claimed the money would be kept safe in a vault during the investigation and occasionally told victims they would earn interest on the funds.

EPD said scammers also tell victims not to discuss the matter with family members, claiming that doing so would implicate their relatives in the federal investigation. Scammers repeated the pattern across multiple transactions until victims discovered the fraud.

EPD advises people, particularly seniors, to remain cautious and call 911 if they suspect fraudulent activity.