PORT ANGELES — Scammers have started a second wave of phony calls hoping to persuade their would-be victims to hand over their bank account information after taking a short break from a successful two-month run.
That first wave of the scam — which hit thousands of people in Port Angeles, Sequim and the West End in February, and seemed to move to East Jefferson County in March — netted scammers $10,700 from North Olympic Peninsula residents.
Between Feb. 17 and April 8, about $8,200 was stolen from 10 Strait-View Credit Union accounts through the scheme, said Port Angeles Police Officer Duane Benedict.
Quimper Community Federal Credit Union CEO Debbie Greenspane said about $2,500 was stolen from three of its East Jefferson County customers last month after they gave out their account information over the phone, in a scam that lasted only for a few weeks, she said.
Financial institutions do not refund the stolen money.
Strait-View Credit Union Vice President Kandy Peterson said Tuesday that the bank once again began receiving reports last weekend from customers saying they’ve received bogus messages on their phone requesting their financial account number and debit card password and claiming to represent the credit union.
No new reports of such calls have been made to the Port Townsend Police Department or the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
Reports of the phony calls in Clallam County dropped to zero a few weeks ago, Peterson said.
But since they started again, some customers have fallen for the scam.
“We do know that a few members have given out their numbers, but as of right now we’re not sure if there’s been a loss or not,” Peterson said.
Asked why she thinks it started again, Peterson said: “I have no idea. I just want it to stop.”
Help, but no reimbursement
Peterson and Greenspane both said the stolen funds cannot be reimbursed by the financial institutions. The institutions are not responsible when customers voluntarily give out their bank account information.
But financial institutions can act quickly to help protect customers.
“We can stop the debit card if it’s done quick enough,” Greenspane said.
“The problem is, these scammers, they send out the blast, and then somebody bites and gives the information.
“They have people at standby at ATMs where they mock up these cards really fast.”
Benedict said that at least one withdrawal from Strait-View took place within 15 minutes after the account information was provided over the phone.
Most occur within 30 minutes, he said.
“These guys are really good,” Benedict said.
The scammers likely use a machine to quickly create a new card that contains the account information and correct password, he said.
They then hand the card off to someone who makes the withdrawal from an automated teller machine.
Peterson and Greenspane both urged customers not to give out their personal financial account information over the phone.
Customers who do give out such information should call their financial institution immediately, they said.
Automated calls
When the scam first hit the Peninsula in February, most of the automated calls — which told recipients that their credit or debit cards had been suspended by their financial institution — purported to be representing Sound Community Bank, Strait-View and Quimper customers, but customers of other institutions were called, too.
In both counties, residents have received calls whether or not they have an account with those financial institutions.
The newest wave of phony calls seem to be intended for Strait-View customers.
Sound Community Bank said that no money was reported stolen from that bank’s Port Angeles branch.
Greenspane said most of the unauthorized withdrawals from Quimper were made in Arizona.
The funds stolen from Strait-View accounts were withdrawn in New York, Kansas and Romania, Benedict said.
Authorities do not know who is behind the scam.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Port Angeles Police Department have forwarded information on the scams to the FBI.
Law enforcement in both Clallam and Jefferson counties believe it is a nationwide scam.
Peterson said she has spoke with representatives of credit unions in Georgia and New York who also have been hit.
“The FBI say this isn’t the first time,” Benedict said. “They just pick an area and start doing it.”
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
