YAKIMA, Wash. – Scams are on the rise in Yakima, with city officials warning residents to stay vigilant. In June, the city court alerted the public about fraudulent messages threatening license suspensions and financial penalties if immediate payments were not made.
This week, Yakima police warned about individuals pretending to be law enforcement and asking for money. On Friday, Solarity Credit Union hosted a fraud protection seminar for senior citizens at the Harman Senior Center, offering advice on how to protect themselves from scams.
The seminar, highlighted how scammers exploit fear, lust and greed. Seniors can be especially vulnerable, particularly online, due to their unfamiliarity with technology.
Yakima residents shared their experiences of falling victim to scams. Peter Orth, supervisory special agent with the Yakima FBI field office, explained the severe consequences scams can have.
“You’ll see divorces, you see financial ruin. You will see people have to reach out to their family to move in with them. You’ll see just the immense psychological toll on the individual who’s been victimized,” said Orth.
Representatives from Solarity Credit Union provided tips on minimizing scam risks. They advised residents to be cautious with personal information and wary of unsolicited calls or emails.
“Do not share your personal information with somebody you don’t know. Be aware of any unsolicited calls or emails,” representatives said. It happens so frequently because we have our guard down with small requests or no requests, and generally human nature is that we want to trust people, we’re good people and so we expect most other people because unfortunately that’s not the case,” said Orth.
Orth emphasized that scammers are using technology, including social media and AI, to modernize their tactics. Vanessa Palmer, fraud manager with Solarity, noted that traditional scams remain effective.
“Traditional scams still work. They’re really effective. And so, I don’t see the scammers really moving away from or investing in the AI when they don’t need to because just a phishing or a text message is good enough to just scam people,” said Palmer.
Orth and Solarity representatives advised anyone who suspects they are a scam victim to cut off contact with potential scammers and reach out to their bank or financial institution. Contacting law enforcement might also be necessary.
Yakima residents are encouraged to remain cautious and informed as scammers continue to target the community.
