PASCO, Wash. – A Gesa bank teller prevented a Pasco woman from being scammed out of nearly $6,000 on Monday.
The woman received a call claiming her teenage daughter had been kidnapped and was convinced to send $600 after hearing an audio recording of her daughter on the phone.
When she went to Gesa Credit Union to wire over an additional $5,000, the teller became suspicious of the situation and called the police.
Pasco Police arrived at the bank, obtained the mother’s address and found her daughter safe at home. An officer then reunited the two at the bank.
“Their intent is to prey upon your emotions and they want to keep you on the phone,” said Pasco Police Lieutenant Thomas Groom. “And so if you’re dealing with a situation like that, try to think outside of your emotions. Understand that likely what they’re telling you is not true and take the time to contact the people that you’re concerned with.”
Lt. Groom also expressed his gratitude towards the bank staff and the teller.
“Huge thanks to the to the bank tellers involved here. They’re the ones that spotted what was going on. They’re the ones that reached out. They’re the ones that prevented these people from losing more money on the scam.”
Phone scams can be scary and confusing, but knowing how to recognize them can keep you safe. It doesn’t hurt to be overly careful in these types of situations.
To protect yourself, remember to stay calm, verify the caller’s identity and use trusted contact methods. The scammers’ goal is to prey on your emotions and get you to act without thinking.
Scammers use urgency to push you into making quick decisions by saying that you need to act immediately. Scare tactics and threats are red flags.
“Typically the scammers will request a small sum of money,” Groom said. “And once that money is paid, then they will ask for more money, typically through non-traditional means of payment like gift cards, Bitcoin, something of that nature.”
Most legitimate organizations won’t ask for this over the phone. If a caller asks for sensitive details like your Social Security number or bank account information, it’s likely a scam.
