Bellingham, WA — The Bellingham Police Department is alerting residents to a disturbing new scam making the rounds: callers pretending to be from PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center, delivering shocking news that a loved one has been seriously injured and placed on life support with little time left.

So far, according to the PD’s advisory, the scammers aren’t hitting victims up for cash right away — they’re just dropping the emotional bomb and hanging up. But the tactic is clearly designed to create panic, fear, and vulnerability.

“Please hang up and use the official number to the hospital mentioned in the call (do not redial the incoming number) and check to see if your loved one is legitimately at the hospital,” one spokesperson stated. “Please do not race to the hospital in fear, as it is likely a scam. To what end they are doing this, we do not yet know.”

If you get one of these calls, the advice is straightforward and critical:

• Hang up immediately.

Don’t engage.

• Verify independently.

Look up the hospital’s real contact info yourself (PeaceHealth St. Joseph’s main number is publicly available on their official site) and call directly. Never use the number from the incoming call.

• Stay calm and don’t panic.

Scammers prey on your emotions to cloud your judgment.

• Report it.

If you confirm it’s a scam, submit the phone number to the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov or reportfraud.ftc.gov.

This kind of “grandparent” or family emergency scam isn’t brand new, but the hospital impersonation angle adds a fresh, cruel twist. Past scams in Whatcom County have involved fake calls from “PeaceHealth” promising prizes or trying to phish personal info, but this one leans hard into fear and urgency without an immediate money ask — which could be a setup for a follow-up demand once the victim is rattled.

Bellingham PD and local hospitals have dealt with similar bullsh*t before: police impersonation scams, vishing attacks, you name it. The message remains the same: Real medical staff, police, or officials won’t cold-call you with devastating news and pressure you like this.

Stay sharp out there, folks. If something feels off, it probably is. Share this with family and neighbors, especially older relatives who might be more vulnerable to the emotional gut-punch.