Scammers Target Pierce County Residents: Sheriff

TACOMA, WA — Phone scams are reportedly targeting Pierce County residents, and sheriff's officials hope to educate locals before they fall victim themselves.

Several different phone- and internet-based scams have recently been reported to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, officials said this week. Scam callers are reportedly portraying themselves as law enforcement as well as lottery or sweepstakes representatives.

For the "Jury Duty and Traffic Ticket scams," officials say scam callers often pretend to be law enforcement and even use phone numbers that appear to come from local law enforcement agencies.

The scam callers demand victims pay debts for missed jury duty or risk arrest. The scammers will typically suggest the victim use a prepaid credit card to resolve the debt.

For the "Sweepstakes Scam," the scam callers will identify themselves as lottery or sweepstakes representatives from Publisher's Clearing House, Reader's Digest, and others in order to solicit taxes on prize winnings, which supposedly need to be paid in advance before receiving their respective prizes.

If you believe you've fallen victim to a scam like the ones described here or something entirely different, call the Pierce County Sheriff's Department at 253-798-7530.

And for more information on scams in general, visit the website for the Washington State Office of the Attorney General at atg.wa.gov/scam-alerts.

(Sign up for our free daily newsletters and Breaking News Alerts for the University Place Patch)