The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
45°F
Current Conditions
Thunderstorm
View complete weather report

Color Scheme

Subscribe now

FBI warns of uptick in email fraud attacks in Eastern Washington

The FBI seal is seen at the bureau’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., in this June 2018 photo. The local field office of the bureau is warning Eastern Washington residents of an uptick in fraudsters posing as others in emails seeking payments that appear legitimate. (Jose Luis Magana / AP)
By Kip Hill kiphillreporter@gmail.com

The local office of the FBI is warning Eastern Washington residents of an uptick in thieves soliciting cash payments through authentic-looking, bogus emails.

Agents are aware of $5 million targeted by online fraudsters since October, said Christian Parker, the FBI’s supervisory special agent in Spokane. Of that total, about $2 million has been recovered due to quick action by victims, he said.

Parker said thieves are preying on businesses large and small, sometimes posing as out-of-office executives seeking quick payments or as legitimate real estate firms looking to swindle title companies on wire transfers for down payments.

“Everybody in Spokane would recognize some of these businesses,” Parker said of potential targets.

The $5 million figure is just what’s been reported to the FBI, Parker said. Actual losses may be larger.

If a firm suspects it’s been the target of an attack, the best thing to do is to contact the local FBI office, fill out a complaint form on the website ic3.gov and speak with its bank. Doing so could limit losses from scams, he said.

“When that’s done within hours, or a matter of a couple of days, there’s a shot we can get that money back,” Parker said.

Workers and companies should also take steps to prevent falling victim to scams in the first place. That means confirming payment amounts with others by phone or walking down the hall to their office, Parker said. Email users should also not open links or attachments they aren’t expecting or that come from unknown sources or email accounts.

Parker said the attacks are not unique to Eastern Washington, and that while a majority of the activity is coming from overseas, some hackers are also targeting companies from inside the United States.

The email spoofing attacks are distinct from ransomware, which is also on the increase, according to reports by national cybersecurity firms. Late last year, local broadcast station KHQ-TV fell victim to a security attack that compromised its ability to produce graphics and scripts for newscasts, along with other news stations in the region.