Texting scam reported

BONNERS FERRY — There’s a new scam circulating around Boundary County that involves residents’ cell phones.

According to Boundary County Sheriff Dave Kramer, scammers have been texting people in an attempt to appear as though the big box store, Costco, has information for them.

The text message is, “We’re trying to get a hold of you about your Costco receipt 3RCD-JSJ. Please claim your overcharge reimbursement here,” after which the scammers have attached a link for the receiver to follow.

“Costco does not text customers,” said Kramer, “And, do not click on any unknown links.”

Costco customer service, located at their webpage, lists tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of various scams.

A few suggestions are: never respond to emails that cannot be verified, never provide personal information via email, and contact the business by using legitimate phone numbers to verify the request.

“There are always new scams, or a twist on the old ones,” said Kramer. “As a reminder, do not give out personal information, if you receive an email or text with a link attached, do not open it unless it is something that you were expecting someone to send.”

Kramer advises that should people receive a link from an email or text that appears to be from someone they know, that they contact that individual to make sure it was actually from them prior to opening it up.

“We encourage people to also be careful about all the personal information that they share on their social media sites,” said Kramer.

For more information or to report a text message scam to Boundary County Sheriff’s Office call 208-267-3151. Or, visit the Federal Trade Commission website to make a complaint at ftccomplaintassistant.gov. To contact Costco customer service, call 1-800-955-2292.