A Washington man who was tricked into believing his Social Security Number was stolen was then scammed out of over $500,000 — here’s how to protect yourself from this slick scam

At least 47 victims have come forward — 27 in King County alone. Authorities believe that’s just the tip of the iceberg and are asking anyone with information about the scam to come forward.

Patrick Hinds, who heads the Economic Crimes and Wage Theft Division at the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, is talking to local media to raise awareness of the problem.

“In a nutshell, this scam really works by playing on people’s fear,” he told Fox 13 Seattle.

Fake officials, real devastation

It begins with an ominous email, text, or computer pop-up that appears to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA) or a related agency that claims your identity has been stolen or your accounts hacked.

Victims are told to act fast and click on a link or call a number to connect with an official — when in fact they’re directed to a live con artist.

The scammers tell victims their safest course of action is to liquidate all their accounts — storing their money as cash or gold — and hand it over to a courier, who will deliver it to a federal agency, for “safekeeping.”

“Of course none of that is true,” Hinds says.

Social Security scams are among the most common of the imposter scams in the U.S., and cost unsuspecting Americans $577 million in 2024 alone.

One Washington victim fell for just such a ruse when a scammer told him his Social Security Number had been compromised. He ended up losing more than $500,000 to the fraud.

He told KIRO 7 that the imposters are convincing and definitely instill fear.

“One of the first things they do is say, ‘We’ll have you electronically sign a non-disclosure agreement,’” he said. “They kept saying, ‘You can’t discuss this with anybody.’”

Hinds confirmed the scammers create a sense of urgency and secrecy to manipulate their victims and conceal their wrongdoing. They keep the con alive with fabricated letters confirming “receipt” of funds, and more calls with “officials.”

“They’ll bring in someone else who claims to be from a different agency, like your bank or the FBI,” said Hinds. “It’s all part of the trap.”

How to protect yourself

Of course, Washington isn’t the only state where this is happening. Across the U.S., imposter scams ranked first among all fraud types in 2024, according to the Federal Trade Commission, accounting for $789 million in losses — an increase of $171 million from 2023.

Hinds urges the public to remember key ways to stay safe:

Watch for 3 Red Flags:

1. Fear: The message is meant to scare you.

2. Urgency: You’re told to act now, with no time to think or ask questions.

3. Secrecy: You’re warned not to tell anyone, not even your family or bank.

Gut check

Ask yourself, “Does this make sense?” If something feels a little off, your gut may be telling you something. Get a second opinion from family, friends and trusted advisors.

Keep in mind:

1. A real government agency would never use robocalls or texts to demand money via gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency. Hang up on suspicious calls and delete any such texts.