Police: Longview, Washington, company scammed out of $160K

LONGVIEW, Wash. (AP) — A Longview, Washington, wireless network supplier lost $160,000 of equipment to someone suspected of posing as an international construction company, according to a police report.

Last Mile Gear reported the apparent scam to Longview police on Wednesday, The Daily News reported. A company official told police it thought it sold the products to North Carolina-based Turner Construction Co., so it shipped the supplies to two locations on the east coast, according to the report.

The equipment has since disappeared. And when Last Mile called the construction company, a representative said Turner “did not and has never purchased” from the Longview supplier, according to the report.

“It appears this was a scam, and Turner Construction information was used without permission by the perpetrator,” said police Sgt. Chris Blanchard.

Police are working with the company to gather more details, Blanchard said. As of Thursday, the locations of the equipment shipments were unknown.