CLALLAM COUNTY, Wash. — In the early months of 2025, scammers have defrauded three Clallam County residents of more than $1 million through sophisticated schemes, with one resident even losing their entire life savings.
The scams prompted multi-agency investigations and arrests, and additional victims have been identified in Jefferson County and across Washington and Oregon.
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In February, a 70-year-old woman from Sequim was contacted by someone claiming to be from Amazon’s Fraud Division regarding a fraudulent iPad purchase. She was then transferred to an individual posing as a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) agent, who alleged her identity was linked to money laundering.
Over two weeks, the scammer convinced her to withdraw $125,000, which she delivered in duct-taped lockboxes to a supposed federal agent.
A bank manager’s concerns led her to contact the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, resulting in a sting operation and the arrest of Alla Mashkova, 35, of Tacoma, and Pralay Kumar Kar, 39, of Bothell. Mashkova faces charges of Extortion 2nd Degree and Attempted Theft 1st Degree, while Kar is charged with Theft 1st Degree and Extortion 2nd Degree.
In March, a 67-year-old Port Angeles woman was scammed out of $100,000 by individuals posing as Amazon employees and a “Federal Trade Commission agent.”
The scammers, who had her personal information, claimed her accounts were involved in international money laundering. Over four weeks, she sent and hand-delivered cash to the scammers, who also gained remote access to her computer. Her family alerted authorities after realizing the scam.
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Between February and March, an 80-year-old Sequim man was defrauded of $862,000 in gold.
A scammer, using the alias “Dustin Brown” and claiming to be the COO of the Social Security Administration, convinced him to liquidate his assets to purchase gold bars. The scammer arranged pickups at the victim’s home and provided counterfeit SSA documents. Suspicious, the victim filed a fraud report with the Sequim Police Department, and the case is now under investigation by the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities urge residents to protect themselves from scams by not engaging with unexpected callers claiming to be from government agencies, not providing cash or valuables to strangers, and not allowing remote computer access unless initiated through a verified provider. If targeted, residents should cease contact and call Clallam County Law Enforcement’s non-emergency line at 360-417-2459 immediately.
