OLYMPIA, Wash. – Scammers are targeting people by impersonating representatives from the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) in phone calls.
These scammers request sensitive information such as client IDs and Social Security numbers that employees will never request over the phone, DSHS said in a release.
DSHS said if people have concerns about a call’s authenticity, hang up and contact DSHS directly at 877-501-2233 to verify the request.
Additionally, if you receive a text or phone reminder, you can confirm its legitimacy by visiting this link.
DSHS said they will never ask for EBT card information via text or make automated calls about benefit cancellations. They also won’t send specific case details through texts or automated calls.
However, DSHS does use texts and automated calls to inform you about important dates, potential benefit theft and when their Mobile Office Team is nearby, the release added.
If people receive a suspicious message claiming to be from DSHS, report it immediately by calling 877-501-2233 or visiting your local Community Services Office.
