Be On Lookout for West Richland Water Department Scammer

Authorities are warning West Richland residents to be on the lookout for a caller posing as a "West Richland Water Department" official. But they're actually a scammer.

West Richland police said Thursday someone has been calling area residents, claiming to be from the West Richland Water Department, and claiming payments need to be made on overdue bills.

The caller asks for credit card information so they can take care of an allegedly delinquent bill.  The phone number reported to authorities is actually a Benton City number, (509)-588-7980, but officials say that's actually an I.P. phone listing.

An I.P. phone number is one that is transmitted via the internet from a computer or other digital device, as opposed to the regular Public Switched Telephone network (phone lines).

Officials say nobody from any city, let alone West Richland, would ever contact citizens in that manner over any utility bill.  The caller appears to have some limited information about the people they are calling, including their name, in an an effort to appear to be legitimate.

Anyone who may be able to gain any information about this caller is asked to notify authorities immediately. Authorities didn't say if the caller was successful in obtaining anyone's credit card information. Multiple reports about the scammer have been made to the City of West Richland.