PORT TOWNSEND — Dove House advocate Heather Freund has heard the story over and over: A scammer has stolen a victim’s credit card number, banking information, identity or all three.

Amid the isolation and increased online activity of the pandemic, she’s seen an uptick in such fraud.

During this National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, Dove House of Jefferson County is joining its sister agencies across the North Olympic Peninsula, Mariposa House in Forks (mariposahouse.org) and Healthy Families of Clallam County (healthyfam.org), to raise awareness about these all-too-common phenomena.

In a free, educational event Tuesday, First Fed fraud officer Ken Mayhew will give a presentation on financial crimes including card fraud, check fraud and identity theft.

“He’ll talk about what to look for,” Freund said, in his discussion from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday at Dove House’s Recovery Cafe, 939 Kearney St., Port Townsend.

Mayhew also will outline the steps for criminal prosecution, she added. No advance registration is needed, Freund said, as the event is open to everyone on a first-come, first-seated basis.

Freund will have information on hand on what to do when one experiences cybercrime, and how to secure phones and computers to help prevent it.

She’ll offer insights into spoofing, a technique fraudsters use to disguise their internet communication to make it look like it’s coming from a trusted source.

More information about financial crimes — and updates about scams and swindles — can be found on the Federal Trade Commission website, FTC.gov, Freund noted.

Locally, Dove House provides a range of services to crime victims and people coping with and in recovery from domestic and sexual violence, homelessness, mental illness and substance use.

For details about these services and about the Recovery Cafe, which offers a variety of support groups and free meals Wednesday through Friday, see DovehouseJC.org or phone 360-385-5292. Dove House, located at 1045 10th St., Port Townsend, also has a 24-hour crisis line: 360-385-5291.

________

Jefferson County Senior Reporter Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-417-3509 or durbanidelapaz@peninsuladailynews.com.