Pierce County Sheriff Department Warn of Scammer Posing As Deputy

PIERCE COUNTY, WA — The Pierce County Sheriff's Department says they've recently received a report of a scammer posing as a deputy, and are warning the public to stay vigilant.

According to the sheriff's department, the scammer called a local woman and told her he was a PCSD deputy. The scammer even used the name of a real, retired Pierce County deputy, and told his victim that she had missed a hearing at Juvenile Court and would have to pay up to avoid being arrested.

Investigators say the scammer appeared to know a lot about the woman, including her full name and job, which made the scam seem very legitimate. The scammer told her she owed $3,000 and directed her to an ATM, providing an access code and a PIN.

The woman only had $500 on hand so she deposited that, at which point the scammer told her she had to turn herself in to the County City Building. While heading to the building, the victim called the Pierce County Sheriff's Department's actual phone number, and the scam was uncovered.

Deputies say the incident is a good reminder: the Pierce County Sheriff's Department will never call to demand money over the phone. They say if you receive a suspicious caller claiming to be a deputy and asking for money, hang up immediately and give the real sheriff's department a call.