October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office has Domestic Violence Coordinators who reach out to domestic violence victims to offer their help. Learn how Sheriff's Office Domestic Violence Coordinators help DV victims find safety.
Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office: https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/Archive.aspx?AMID=43
The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office has issued an alert on its Facebook page about warrant and jury duty scams against Snohomish County citizens. The alert notes that the Sheriff’s Office receives reports of these scams on a weekly basis.
The scammers try to intimidate potential victim into paying money
to have a warrant lifted or from being arrested due to missing jury duty, often
through a phone call. An apparent trend is to demand that you pay by Bitcoin cryptocurrency.
As with many scams the scammers pretend to be someone they are
not. In this case, they may pretend to be from the Sheriff’s Office or from the
county court. Last year both the Sheriff’s Office and the Snohomish County
Superior Court issued separate scam alerts for scammers pretending to be from
their organizations.
The scammers immediately present you with a problem, you have a
fine levied against you or at worst the cops are coming to arrest you.
The scammers pressure you to act quickly, without thinking or
consulting with friends or family. They want you emotional so that you will not
think logically or analytically. They also want to isolate you so that they
have control.
And to get out of your “problem” you pay. The scammers want you to
pay in a way that cannot be traced or reversed. Using a crypto currency has been
popular lately with scammers. Like with gift cards, wire or money transfers,
crypto currencies are extremely difficult to reverse.
Understand that local police, courts, or other governmental
entities will not call you to demand an immediate payment for a fine or to get
out of an arrest warrant. Police are not in the habit of notifying people who
have warrants against them.
The Sheriff’s Office says that people report giving money to these
scams. While it seems that the warrant and jury duty scams are well publicized,
people are still victimized by scammers.
If you receive a scam call like this, hang up!
Also, report the scam to the Sheriff’s Office and to the FBI at www.ic3.gov.
And please, pass this information to your friends, family, and coworkers.
The more people who know about scams, the better we all can defend against scams.
Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=959726349514130&set=a.226070289546410
Federal Trade Commission:
South Snohomish County Crime Watch:
https://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2023/04/scam-update-scammers-pretend-to-be.html
https://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2023/08/scam-update-jury-duty-scam-and-watch.html
Criminals look for any way that they can gain access to your financial accounts to take your money. One method that they use is SIM Swapping.
A SIM card (Subscriber Identity Module) is a small circuit card
that resides in your cell phone that identifies that phone as belonging to you.
SIM cards can be removeable with the ability to be transferred between cell phones,
or your phone can have an ESIM that is code embedded in your cell phone that
identifies your phone as belonging to you.
If a criminal
can swap SIMs to their phone, then they can impersonate you and break into your
accounts.
A criminal
who conducts a SIM swap also conducts two scams.
1. They take personal information that they have gathered about you
from purchased data from data breaches, gathered from a phishing campaign, or collecting
sensitive information that you posted on social media to convince the phone
carrier to give them a new SIM with your phone number.
2. On successfully acquiring a SIM in your name, the criminal will
try to break into one of your accounts. If the account has text based multifactor
authentication (MFA) they can receive the code that your account sends out to
help break into your account.
Indications that
you have been a victim of SIM swapping include,
·
You cannot make or receives
calls or texts.
·
An online account is locked
because of suspected unauthorized access.
·
You receive alerts that
someone is attempting to access an account, and you do not recognize the
activity.
If you are
victimized with a SIM swap, take action:
·
Contact your mobile carrier
immediately.
·
Contact you bank and other
financial services.
·
Disable MFA, change account(s)
password(s), then enable MFA again.
·
Monitor financial accounts
·
Report to
o The FBI IC3- https://www.ic3.gov/
o FTC- https://www.identitytheft.gov/
You can take
action to discourage SIM Swapping by
·
Set a Pin for your smartphone.
·
Use strong and unique
passwords for all of your accounts.
·
DON’T POST EVERYTHING ON
SOCIAL MEDIA.
·
Use non-SMS MFA. Instead use
MFA with an authenticator app such as Microsoft Authenticator or Google
Authenticator.
Associated Press:
https://apnews.com/article/sim-swapping-protections-tech-tip-e05ac6b894312041a5c1e4333a28df2a
FBI:
National Cybersecurity Alliance:
https://staysafeonline.org/resources/sim-card-swap-scams/
Federal Communications Commission:
https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/cell-phone-fraud
Threatening emails with a picture of your home. Several news sources have recently been reporting that scammers are sending threatening emails that include personal information and a picture of the recipient’s home. The Bellevue Police Department issued an alert earlier in September stating that the emails often contain home addresses, full names and a picture. Other sources have noted that the emails contain a picture of a house.
The emails claim
to be from a hacker who hacked into the recipient’s computer and collected the recipient
visiting adult websites. Sometimes the emails claim that the recipient is being
watched and tracked by Pegasus spyware, an app produced be an Israeli company that
sells the app to governments, law enforcement, and militaries around the world.
The scammer tries to give the impression that they have a lot of information
about the recipient and if they do not pay a ransom, often with Cryptocurrency,
they will release the information to the recipient’s friends and family.
The
information about the recipient contained in the email is easily accessed in
the open on the internet. A picture of the recipient’s house can be freely obtained
on Google Maps’ Street View mode.
The emails
represent a new “feature” by sextortion scammers to jolt you into paying them to
“suppress” incriminating information.
Of course, if
you receive a sextortion email like this, don’t click on any links or
attachments. Report it to the FBI’s www.IC3.gov
website. Also, to avoid sextortion emails, never send compromising images of
yourself to anyone and turn off (and/or cover) any web cameras when you are not
using them
MyNorthwest KIRO Newsradio:
https://mynorthwest.com/3986583/bellevue-under-attack-from-ongoing-bitcoin-scam/
Verify:
Krebs on Security:
https://krebsonsecurity.com/2024/09/sextortion-scams-now-include-photos-of-your-home/
Authorities prosecute cyber criminals. We usually hear about scams and how it
can be impossible to prosecute the criminals behind the fraud much less return any
funds stolen from the victim. Here are two recent examples of authorities
investigating and prosecuting international cyber criminals.
Two Nigerian brothers were convicted of targeting a 17-year-old
male in a sextortion scheme that resulted in the teenager’s suicide in April
2024. Samuel Ogoshi, 24, and Samson Ogoshi, 21, from Lagos, were sentenced to
17 years and six months in prison in the U.S. for luring Jordan DeMay of
Marquette, Michigan, by pretending to be a pretty girl, flirting with DeMay to
convince him to send explicit pictures of himself then blackmailing him. John
DeMay committed suicide less than six hours after the brothers started talking
to him on Instagram. 38 other US victims identified as targeted by the men with
13 of them being minors.
The second case occurred in the United Kingdom. On August 30, 2024,
the National Crime Agency (NCA) announced that three men pleaded guilty to
operating an online service that helped attackers intercept one-time passcodes
(OTPs) used to authenticate entry into many online accounts. Callum Picari, 22,
from Hornchurch, Essex; Vijayasidhurshan Vijayanathan, 21, from Aylesbury,
Buckinghamshire; and Aza Siddeeque, 19, from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire hosted
a website called OTP Agency that intercepted OTPs used in Multi-Factor
Authentication schemes in a cybercrime as a service enterprise. Scammers would
steal or purchase on the dark web someone’s bank account credentials, phone
number, and name. The service would initiate an automated phone call to the
target to alert them to supposed unauthorized activity on their account. The phone
call would prompt the target to enter the OTP that they received via SMS text
that the scammers initiated when they tried to log into the account. Any codes
that were transmitted via the phone call were shared with the scammers to complete
the log in process.
For more detail about both cases check out the links below.
BBC:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr7rxpdyz9yo
Krebs on Security:
https://krebsonsecurity.com/2024/09/owners-of-1-time-passcode-theft-service-plead-guilty/
With the 2024 election campaigns in full gear, as usual, scammers find a way to take advantage of the situation to skim off some cash for themselves.
Election
campaigns can be high energy and emotional, especially in this era of polarized
politics. Scammers are adept at quickly establishing their false credentials to
appeal for financial help, as in charity scams, for a worthy cause whipping up
their victims’ emotions to pay right away because the cause needs their help
now.
Scammers have
migrated the charity scam model to elections by claiming to be a Political
Action Committee (PAC) backing or opposing a candidate or cause. Legitimate
PAC’s back candidates or causes spending no more than 25% of their donations on
fund raising and administrative costs with the rest going to advertising and
other techniques that promote their candidate or cause.
Scam PACs find
ways to mask the pocketing of their donations to the organizers by distributing
the funds to vendors which are owned by the organizers. And often, Scam PACs spend
more than 25% of their donations on fund raising and administrative costs.
The Federal
Election Commission (FEC) regulates PACs supporting or working to defeat candidates
for federal office. In Washington State, the Public Disclosure Commission (PDA)
regulates candidate committees, political committees, lobbyists, and lobbyist
employers. Scam PACs may or may not register with the FEC and/or the PDC. Those
that do not are obviously PACs to stay away from Those that do, may give an
indication in their financial filings that they may be not as legitimate or as
efficient in their operations as they would like you to think they are.
Verify. Like with charities, if you feel motivated to donate to a PAC take
a deep breath and verify that the PAC is legitimate before you send money. Make
sure the PAC is registered with the FEC or the PDA. If they are, take a look at
their financial filings and see where they spend their money. Is more than 25%
going to administrative costs? See who the PAC uses for vendors. Are the
vendor’s registration addresses the same as for the PAC? If so, then the PAC
may be a scam. Check the PAC’s website. Legitimate PACs should have one. Check
for the person who heads the PAC. Websites that do not have the names and
contact information of people running the PAC or the contact information for
the PAC may be a scam. Check the contact phone number for the PAC. Is it in service?
If not, it may be a scam. Look up PACs at,
Federal Election Commission: https://www.fec.gov/
Public Disclosure Commission: https://www.pdc.wa.gov/
Open Secrets: https://www.opensecrets.org/
Emotion. We have strong emotions about our politics during this election
campaign. Scammers know how to play on our emotions to get us to act without thinking.
And they will put the pressure on to act now, without doing your research.
Name
confusion. While PACs can be associated with legitimate
nonprofit organizations and campaigns, scam PACs may have names that closely
mimic ongoing candidate political campaigns or ongoing issue campaigns. All the
more reason to research the PAC to determine its legitimacy.
Phishing
attempts. Scam PACs use similar methods to contact
potential donors as legitimate political campaigns and a wide variety of scam
efforts. If you receive an email or text message that purports to represent a
candidate or a PAC, be careful of any links that may be embedded in the message.
Don’t click on the link. Find the PAC’s website with a web search or look it up
on the FEC website or the PDA website. If you get a phone call, don’t call the call
back phone number. Look it up on a web search.
Election
cybersecurity tips. Scammers can pretend to be
pollsters. Some tricks that scam pollsters use include prizes to encourage
completing surveys, ask for personal information such as birth dates, social
security numbers, or financial information, information legitimate pollsters do
not need.
Voter
registration. Registering to vote is an
important part of the election process. Sometimes scammers will call and offer voter
registration. No state offers voter registration by phone! To learn about how
to register to vote in Washington State check out this link at the Secretary of
State’s website- https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections#voters
For more
information about Scam PACs and more tips to avoid being victimized by Scam
PACs checkout the following links.
Verify:
“Political Parasites: How Scam PACs Cheat Us” report by the office
of Representative Katie Porter (D, CA):
https://porter.house.gov/uploadedfiles/final_scampacsreport_december2023.pdf
Better Business Bureau:
https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/27597-political-scams-increase-as-elections-near
Open Secrets:
FBI:
https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/scam-pacs-are-on-the-rise-041521
Charity Watch
AARP:
https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2019/scam-pacs.html
We still have good weather ahead to enjoy a hike in the mountains. With our dry summers there is an increasing danger of wildfires in our national parks and national forests. Eastern Washington often sees wildfires. Currently, there are more than a dozen wildfires burning in Eastern Washington. With our drier summers, there is an increased danger of wildfires in Western Washington with drier fuels available in the forests.
Hikers could
get caught in the mountains with wildfires as related to The Seattle Times by
Matt Bishop and Steve Cooper who were hiking in the Baring Mountain area on the
day that the Bolt Creek wildfire broke in September 2022- https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/climate-lab/it-was-a-classic-day-for-a-hike-in-was-cascades-then-the-fire-came/. The two ended up self-rescuing themselves after contacting
search and rescue who determined that conditions were too dangerous to send
ground teams or even a helicopter to pick them up. While there was no
indication of a fire starting in the area that day, their story emphasizes the
importance of preparation and being flexible to be able to handle unexpected events
or conditions.
Some
precautions to take to avoid a wildfire on your hike are:
·
Check with the National
Weather Service for Red Flag Warnings along your intended route. And check with
the Environmental Protection Agency for the air quality (AQI- Air Quality
Index).
·
Also, check with the National
Forest or National Parks for the conditions along your hiking route. The
Washington Trails Association has a list of ranger stations at https://www.wta.org/go-outside/ranger-station-info
When you go
on your hike be ready for anything. Even if the weather is perfect and there
are no wildfires near your route, things can happen that can cause an emergency
or cause a need to stay on the trail overnight. Taking the 10 Essentials can
help survive the unexpected. For any hike, you should take,
·
NAVIGATION – Map, compass, and
GPS system
·
SUN PROTECTION – Sunglasses,
sunscreen, and hat
·
INSULATION – Jacket, hat,
gloves, rain shell, and thermal underwear
·
ILLUMINATION – Flashlight,
lanterns, and headlamp
·
FIRST-AID SUPPLIES – First Aid
Kit
·
FIRE – Matches, lighter and
fire starters
·
REPAIR KIT AND TOOLS – Duct
tape, knife, screwdriver, and scissors
·
NUTRITION – Food
·
HYDRATION – Water and water
treatment supplies
·
EMERGENCY SHELTER – Tent,
space blanket, tarp, and bivy
Being prepared
will help you to handle and survive the unexpected.
High Country
News:
National Weather Service:
Environmental Protection Agency- Air Now:
IQAir:
https://www.iqair.com/usa/washington/seattle
The 10 Essentials:
National Park Service- https://www.nps.gov/articles/10essentials.htm
Washington Trails Association- https://www.wta.org/go-outside/trail-smarts/ten-essentials
The Seattle Times:
One of the major concerns for the Snohomish County Target Zero team is driving under the influence of either alcohol or drugs. In a recent press release on Facebook, Target Zero noted an increase of impaired drivers on Snohomish County roadways and in Washington state in general. Statewide, from 2021-2022 the Target Zero team saw an increase in impaired related fatalities of 7.2% and of serious injury crashes of over 17%.
Recent Target
Zero statements have acknowledged that most drivers do not drink and drive or
drive while high. It’s just a few people who drive under the influence and can cause
crashes and injury. Target Zero encourages everyone that if they are going to a
party or an event and plan on drinking alcohol or having some marijuana to utilize
a sober designated driver, taxis or ride share service to return home.
Target Zero uses
education to remind all of us not to drive impaired. It also uses enforcement
to look for those who do drive impaired and hopefully find them before they
cause a crash and harm property or injure someone.
As part of
the enforcement effort, the Snohomish County DUI and Target Zero Task Force
with conduct DUI Emphasis Patrols this weekend from August 9 through August 11
in conjunction with the Taste Edmonds festival. Participating law enforcement agencies will
include Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol, Lynnwood
Police Department, Mountlake Terrace Police Department, Arlington Police
Department, Edmonds Police Department, Marysville Police Department along with
the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board which will conduct high
visibility patrols throughout the county.
The Washington
State Patrol will also provide its Mobile Impaired Driving Unit (MIDU) to
rapidly process DUI drivers. The MIDU is a self-contained 36-foot motorhome
that has been retrofitted as a mobile DUI processing center and incident
command post.
Patrols will
be looking for drivers impaired by alcohol, legal marijuana, or other illegal
drugs.
For more
information about Target Zero check out the following links.
Snohomish
County Target Zero:
https://snocotargetzero.org/index.html
Washington State Target Zero:
Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:
https://www.facebook.com/SnoCoSheriff
https://snohomishcountywa.gov/466/DUI-Traffic-Safety
My Edmonds News:
