Watch out for a new scam from a fake Washington State Employment Security Department that's being sent by text message.
The fraudulent text claims to be from the state's WA eServices and says the recipient's account needs "immidiate" attention.
Don't click on it!
And be aware that scammers are using every other avenue they can think of to get their bogus lures in front of potential victims, including emails and letters, the Employment Security Department said on its website.
The state Employment Security Department says it will never ask for:
* Information on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram or any other social media platform. Scammers are creating legitimate-looking Facebook pages for state agencies, and then leading claimants to Web pages or emails that request private, secure information. Find a list of our official social media accounts.
* A credit card or bank account number, or anything to do with your financials.
* Your Social Security number over email. We will ask for your Social Security number over the phone and in eServices. If you do not feel comfortable providing this over the phone, we will accept the last 4 digits of your Social Security number along with some other identifying information.
* The Social Security numbers of your family members.
* Information about medical issues. For example: If you state you had an "able and available issue," and we see that there is a medical certificate attached, we might ask, "without giving any personal or medical information, what is the status of that issue in your eServices account — was it allowed or denied?"
* You to buy gift cards or to make payments over the phone.
* Information over the phone that we have not first asked for through official correspondence by mail or through eServices. If you are unsure about what's being asked over the phone, hang up and send the requested information through eServices.
* Your account login/password or access to eServices.
* Information about other claimants living at your address, or relate any information to you about someone else.
