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Police & Fire
Police Issue Warning On New Utility Worker/DPW Scam Police Issue Warning On New Utility Worker/DPW Scam
Police Issue Warning On New Utility Worker/DPW Scam A new scam in which thieves pose as electric workers to enter victims' homes has popped up in the area. On Friday, Nov. 6, Worcester Police alerted residents that scammers posing as utility workers or department of public work employees have been reported in the area knocking on doors and attempting to gain access via trickery. Police said that on Monday, Nov. 2, they received a report that three men posing as utility workers and DPW crew told homeowners that they needed to enter the dwelling to check on pipes. After the men left, residents noticed money and jewelry had been stolen, police …

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by Kristin Palpini
News
Alert Issued For Phony Amazon Callers, Emails Seeking Info Alert Issued For Phony Amazon Callers, Emails Seeking Info
Alert Issued For Phony Amazon Callers, Emails Seeking Info Con artists are calling and emailing Amazon users and attempting to obtain their log in information and credit card number by posing as Amazon employees.  According to the Better Business Bureau, victims are met with a recorded message claiming to be from Amazon, notifying them of problems with their Amazon account ranging from supposed fraudulent charges on Amazon Prime cards to damaged packages to unfulfilled orders that the victim never placed.  The callers are reportedly using phone numbers of reputable organizations--like the Better Business Bureau--to lend them credibility. …

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by Christina Coulter
Police & Fire
To Avoid Jail, Worcester Scammer Makes A Run For US-Canada Border To Avoid Jail, Worcester Scammer Makes A Run For US-Canada Border
To Avoid Jail, Worcester Scammer Makes A Run For Us-canada Border A Worcester man who scammed families out of more than $880,000 made a run to the Candian border to avoid his jail sentence but was foiled by the Mounties. Ashokkumar “Andy” Patel, formerly of Worcester and Plainville, was sentenced in September to 40 months in prison for his role in an international scheme that used high-pressure communications claiming to be from the IRS to squeeze people for money. On Thursday, Oct. 15, Patel was apprehended by the Candian Royal Mounted Police who found him diving into a border ditch in a blueberry field near Washington State, according to the Worcester …

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by Kristin Palpini
Police & Fire
Police Issue Alert To Area Residents For Screen-Sharing Scam Police Issue Alert To Area Residents For Screen-Sharing Scam
Police Issue Alert To Area Residents For Screen-Sharing Scam Police are warning of a new scam involving instances of fraud stemming from screen-sharing software that gives scammers access to personal computers and smartphones. The scams that involve remote access software being used to target devices, one of which was recently used on an area resident. Police said that a fraudster posing as a customer care executive from Amazon advised the victim that a “fraud alert” has been placed on their account. The victim acknowledged that they had an Amazon account but did not have the Amazon app on their phone. The fraudster took this opportunity to direct…

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by Zak Failla