PORT ANGELES — Multiple scam reports involving fraudulent payment requests have been made to family members of people incarcerated at the Clallam County Jail, the the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office reported.
In one incident, a victim reported being contacted by an individual claiming to be a corrections deputy at the jail. The caller told the victim she could send $1,500 via PayPal for her brother to receive drug treatment and avoid incarceration. After sending the money, the victim contacted the jail and learned the request was fraudulent, the Sheriff’s Office said.
In a second incident, a separate victim reported that her son is currently incarcerated at the jail. She said a man identifying himself as “Sgt. Gary Thompson” contacted her and requested money on her son’s behalf to secure his release through a “pre-trial release” program. The victim, who lives out of state, sent $1,000 and later learned it was a scam, the Sheriff’s Office said.
“The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office would like to emphasize that Sheriff’s Office employees will NEVER call and ask for money to be sent in order for someone to avoid jail, be released, or pay for alternatives such as drug or alcohol treatment,” the Sheriff’s Office stated in a news release.
Investigators believe suspects are using the publicly available Clallam County Jail roster to identify incarcerated individuals, then conducting basic internet searches to locate and contact family members. The suspects provide false information to persuade victims to send money.
“Anyone who receives a call of this nature is urged not to send money, and if you were a victim of this scam, please report the incident immediately by using the Clallam County Online Reporting System or by calling the Clallam County non-emergency dispatch line at 360-417-2459,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
