Renton, Washington — June 2026
The Renton Police Department is alerting residents to a growing online scam that uses fake CAPTCHA verification screens to trick users into compromising their own computers.
According to police, cybercriminals are creating fraudulent “I’m Not a Robot” verification pages that instruct users to perform a series of keyboard commands, such as opening the Windows Run dialog, pasting copied text, and pressing Enter. These actions can unknowingly install malicious software or grant attackers access to sensitive information.
Authorities emphasize that legitimate CAPTCHA systems only require users to check a box, identify images, or enter text. Real verification tools never ask users to run commands, use keyboard shortcuts, or execute software on their devices.
The scam can lead to the theft of passwords, banking information, email credentials, and other personal data. Renton Police advise anyone who encounters such a page to stop immediately, close the browser window, and avoid following any instructions displayed on the screen.
Officials encourage residents to remain vigilant online and report suspected scams to law enforcement or cybersecurity authorities.