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Scam

SCAM ALERT: Glen Rock Homeowner Loses $27,400 As Home Repair Con Men Prep For Spring SCAM ALERT: Glen Rock Homeowner Loses $27,400 As Home Repair Con Men Prep For Spring
Scam ALERT: Glen Rock Homeowner Loses $27,400 As Home Repair Con Men Prep For Spring A roof repair scam cost a Glen Rock resident $27,400, prompting the borough police chief to warn citizens against con men who come to the door. Two visiting scammers who claimed to be from Nassau County, on Long Island, offered to repair a partially damaged section of one victim’s roof for $3,400, Glen Rock Police Chief Dean Ackermann said. No sooner had they begun their work than they suddenly “discovered” that the damage was “more extensive than originally thought,” the chief said. They asked for an additional $24,000 and the resident subsequently wired them the money, he said. The…
Maintenance Man Poses As Complex Owner, Scams Apartment Seekers Out Of $14,000: Garfield PD Maintenance Man Poses As Complex Owner, Scams Apartment Seekers Out Of $14,000: Garfield PD
Maintenance Man Poses As Complex Owner, Scams Apartment Seekers Out Of $14,000: Garfield PD A maintenance man at a Garfield garden apartment complex scammed hopeful renters out of $14,000 by posting bogus listings on Facebook, showing them empty units he claimed he owned and then collecting deposits from them, authorities charged. John K. DelValle, a 48-year-old bodybuilder from Hackensack, made it all appear genuine by having the victims sign worthless rental agreements, police said. Then he handed them the master keys that he'd been given for work. DelValle also conned another unwitting victim out of $7,000 -- and a car -- by "selling" him a Tesla that he was renting, Garfield …
SCAM ALERT: 'Traveler' Busted In Attempted $15K Driveway Repair Ripoff In Upper Saddle River SCAM ALERT: 'Traveler' Busted In Attempted $15K Driveway Repair Ripoff In Upper Saddle River
Scam ALERT: 'Traveler' Busted In Attempted $15K Driveway Repair Ripoff In Upper Saddle River A transient was arrested after scamming an Upper Saddle River homeowner out of $2,000 and then demanding $13,000 more, authorities said. William Connors, 50, solicited the work from a resident on the north side of town by offering "leftover materials from a nearby job," USR Police Capt. Edward Kane said. Connors got a $2,000 down payment for the fraud on Wednesday, Oct. 4, then returned to the victim's home on Thursday and insisted on $13,000 more, the captain said. The driveway had to be entirely replaced as a result, Kane noted. Connors, meanwhile, was arrested by borough police who dis…
Door-To-Door Contractors Bilk North Jersey Victim Out Of $125K: Police Door-To-Door Contractors Bilk North Jersey Victim Out Of $125K: Police
Door-To-Door Contractors Bilk North Jersey Victim Out Of $125K: Police A pair of door-to-door contractors were arrested after police say they scammed a North Jersey woman out of $125,000. The victim hired Patrick O'Doherty and Anthony Doherty to repair to sets of concrete steps for $3,800, paid in full in advance, on Aug. 20, Bloomfield police said. Once the demolition began on the steps, Doherty and O'Doherty would show up sporadically, usually in the late afternoon hours, to do more demolition work. The problem was, though, every time they came, they'd perform more demolition work and ask for more money — never repairing the actual steps, police said. The …
Newly-Widowed NJ Mom Falls Victim To Gravestone Scammer: 'I Want Him Stopped' Newly-Widowed NJ Mom Falls Victim To Gravestone Scammer: 'I Want Him Stopped'
Newly-Widowed NJ Mom Falls Victim To Gravestone Scammer: 'I Want Him Stopped' Another New Jersey resident who was scammed out of thousands of dollars by Gregory Stefan, Jr. is sharing her story. It wasn't a week after Irene Pollard lost her husband before Gregory Stefan, Jr. had found her number. The North Brunswick mom was just beginning to wrap her head around the death of her husband, Myron Pollard, on Dec. 29, 2022, when Stefan began calling, asking her about creating a headstone for the gravesite. "It was way too soon," Pollard said.  Not one to make others feel pushed aside, Pollard saved Stefan's number as a contact in her phone so she could at least answer…
Grieving Bridgewater Woman Victimized By NJ Gravestone Scammer: 'People Can't Find Closure' Grieving Bridgewater Woman Victimized By NJ Gravestone Scammer: 'People Can't Find Closure'
Grieving Bridgewater Woman Victimized By NJ Gravestone Scammer: 'People Can't Find Closure' Barbara Kalmus was still reeling from the death of her sister last May when she was preyed upon by Gregory Stefan, Jr. The Bridgewater resident was one of several people authorities say was grifted by Stefan, who was recently arrested on a warrant by police in Vineland for scamming customers out of thousands of dollars through his company Colonial Memorials, not long after it was revealed he had been doing the same with his father and brother with their Pennsylvania company, 1843 LLC. Following her sister's death due to cancer, Stefan reached out to Kalmus about getting a headstone for he…
Hunterdon County Men Stole Over $80K From Senior Living Resident: Authorities Hunterdon County Men Stole Over $80K From Senior Living Resident: Authorities
Hunterdon County Men Stole Over $80K From Senior Living Resident: Authorities Two Lambertville men were charged after allegedly scamming more than $80,000 from a senior living resident in Bridgewater, authorities said Thursday, June 22. Sanders J. Mishkin and Ronald Cusano, both 65, were charged with theft by deception, Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said. Mishkin was also charged with attempted theft by deception. Investigators say Mishkin took more than $80,000 from the senior living resident’s account without permission and for personal gain, at least $10,000 of the funds tied to Cusano’s transactions. Both were charged and released pending court app…
Car Full Of Fools Gold Lands NJ Man Trip To Fed Pen — Then Back To India Car Full Of Fools Gold Lands NJ Man Trip To Fed Pen — Then Back To India
Car Full Of Fools Gold Lands NJ Man Trip To Fed Pen — Then Back To India A New Jersey scammer whose eyes were bigger than his brain when he tried to rob an Athol woman of more than $300,000 was sentenced on Wednesday, May 24, to a year in prison, after which he'll be deported back to India authorities said.  Gaurang Contractor, 38, a citizen of India living in Jersey City, NJ, tried to trick a Central Massachusetts woman into believing he was a DEA agent and she needed to convert her life savings into gold and give it to him for safekeeping, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said.  Contractor contacted the woman in August 2022 using the alias of "Oscar…
LOWLIFE SLIME: Scammer With 'Child Support Issues' Swindles Well-Meaning Woman Out Of $1,500 LOWLIFE SLIME: Scammer With 'Child Support Issues' Swindles Well-Meaning Woman Out Of $1,500
Lowlife Slime: Scammer With 'Child Support Issues' Swindles Well-Meaning Woman Out Of $1,500 A lowlife with a BS story about child support troubles conned a well-meaning woman out of $1,500 outside a Clifton bank, authorities said. The 20-something scammer approached the 62-year-old Belleville resident at the ATM of the Citibank at the River Front Center shopping mall on westbound Route 3 in the afternoon on Sunday, April 2, Police Lt. Robert Bracken said. In his hand was a check that he said he needed to cash but couldn't because of "child support issues," the lieutenant said. After depositing the check into her own account, the woman transferred $1,500 via Zelle to the stranger,…
Phony $18M Publishers C'House Prize Nearly Convinces Bergen Woman, 82, To Give Scammer $10,000 Phony $18M Publishers C'House Prize Nearly Convinces Bergen Woman, 82, To Give Scammer $10,000
Phony $18M Publishers C'House Prize Nearly Convinces Bergen Woman, 82, To Give Scammer $10,000 An 82-year-old woman from Wyckoff came within a whisker of losing $10,000 to a scammer who managed to con her out of $500 by claiming that she’d won $18 million and a new luxury vehicle, authorities said. The caller from an unknown number told the woman that she'd won a Publishers Clearing House grand prize, Police Lt. Joseph Soto said. However, the caller said she’d have to buy $10,000 worth of gift cards – and then provide the numbers on them – to collect her prizes, Soto said. The woman bought a $500 card and gave the information to redeem it to the caller, the lieutenant said. He then…
Bergen Scam Victim Literally Gift-Wraps $25,000 In Cash Bergen Scam Victim Literally Gift-Wraps $25,000 In Cash
Bergen Scam Victim Literally Gift-Wraps $25,000 In Cash Yes, it’s difficult to believe, but an unwitting North Jersey victim literally gift-wrapped $25,000 in cash for a scammer to steal. It happened to a 75-year-old Glen Rock resident who got a pop-up home computer message directing her to contact Apple/Microsoft "due to an issue with their computer,” Police Chief Dean Ackermann said. The victim used the number provided by the scammer rather than do an independent search herself for whom to call, the chief said. A purported representative who answered told her that it would cost $25,000 to resolve the issue. So the victim withdrew the cash fr…
NJ Boardwalk Operator Banned 10 Years For Using Overinflated Basketballs, Posting False Prizes NJ Boardwalk Operator Banned 10 Years For Using Overinflated Basketballs, Posting False Prizes
NJ Boardwalk Operator Banned 10 Years For Using Overinflated Basketballs, Posting False Prizes A Jersey Shore game operator was banned from business for 10 years and fined $15,500 for over-inflating basketballs and displaying prizes that couldn’t be won, state authorities said. Some basketballs at games owned by Christine Strothers on the boardwalks in Wildwood and North Wildwood packed up to three times the amount of required pounds per square inch of inflation, state Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said. This, as most players know, can make a ball ricochet wildly off a backboard or rim, the attorney general noted. Strothers also broke New Jersey’s amusement games lic…
$400G GoFundMe Scam: NJ Woman Serving Federal Time Gets 3-Year State Sentence $400G GoFundMe Scam: NJ Woman Serving Federal Time Gets 3-Year State Sentence
$400G GoFundMe Scam: NJ Woman Serving Federal Time Gets 3-Year State Sentence UPDATE: A woman who helped pull a notorious scam that conned 14,000 GoFundMe donors nationwide was nearly 150 miles away when a judge in South Jersey sentenced her to a plea-bargained three years in state prison on Friday, Jan. 6. Katelyn McClure, 32, of Bordentown will be released in July after completing a federal sentence at a low-security prison in Danbury, CT, for scamming well-meaning donors out of $400,000 to purportedly help a homeless veteran. At that point, the year and a day federal sentence will be deducted from her state term and a determination will be made whether she shoul…
Andrew Bucklandon Is NOT Missing: Here's How Social Scammers Get You Andrew Bucklandon Is NOT Missing: Here's How Social Scammers Get You
Andrew Bucklandon Is NOT Missing: Here's How Social Scammers Get You A boy named Andrew Bucklandon hasn't gone missing. He didn't leave for school and not return. He doesn't even exist. For those who've seen -- or, worse, shared -- the Facebook post about a purportedly missing boy the past couple of days, here are a few questions: Does the post include a town? A link? Contact details? It doesn't. Because it's bogus. Like any good phishing scam, the missing boy ploy tugs at the heartstrings and plays on the fears of those who want to help. They're actually helping the scammers find more victims. Phishers threw their latest line into social media waters on…
GOTCHA! 'Daughter In Trouble' Scammer Gets Punked By Paramus Police GOTCHA! 'Daughter In Trouble' Scammer Gets Punked By Paramus Police
Gotcha! 'Daughter In Trouble' Scammer Gets Punked By Paramus Police A cold-hearted scammer who tried to trick a Paramus woman out of $15,000 got duped herself, authorities said. The resident called borough police after getting a call from someone claiming to be a Hackensack police officer, Paramus Police Chief Kenneth Ehrenberg explained. The purported officer told her that her daughter had been arrested and needed bail money -- 15 large, in fact, the chief said. A courier named "Daisy" was going to pick up the cash to be delivered to her daughter's attorney, the caller said. Paramus Police Officer Nicole Capone spoke with the would-be victim, then …
WINNER: Jersey Cash 5 Ticket Worth $100K Sold At Morris County QuickChek WINNER: Jersey Cash 5 Ticket Worth $100K Sold At Morris County QuickChek
Winner: Jersey Cash 5 Ticket Worth $100K Sold At Morris County QuickChek Who's the lucky winner? A Jersey Cash 5 ticket worth more than $100,000 was sold at a QuickChek in Morris County. A ticket matching all five numbers for the Wednesday, Dec. 7 drawing was sold at QuickChek #99 on West Main Street in Rockaway, lottery officials said. The winning numbers were: 05, 12, 21, 30 and 34. The XTRA number was 02. ALSO SEE: Should've Said No: Hackettstown Taylor Swift Fan, 30, Loses Nearly $1.5K In Concert Ticket Scam The lucky winner will take home the Jersey Cash 5 jackpot of $100…
Armed Man Posing As Prosecutor Demands Nearly $10K Cash From Victim: Morris County Sheriff Armed Man Posing As Prosecutor Demands Nearly $10K Cash From Victim: Morris County Sheriff
Armed Man Posing As Prosecutor Demands Nearly $10K Cash From Victim: Morris County Sheriff Recognize him? The Morris County Sheriff’s Office is attempting to identify a man they say pretended to be a prosecutor, wielded a firearm, and demanded nearly $10,000 cash for “bail money” from a victim in a grandparent’s scam. On Friday, Oct. 21, the man called the victim pretending to be a New York Prosecutor, stating that her grandson was in a car accident with a pregnant woman and needed $9,850 cash for bail money, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office said in a release a week later. The suspect told the victim to meet him at the Morris Plains Municipal Building with the cash. He is then…
ID Sought For Pair That Scammed More Than $3K In Gift Cards, Items From Lehigh Valley Kohl’s ID Sought For Pair That Scammed More Than $3K In Gift Cards, Items From Lehigh Valley Kohl’s
ID Sought For Pair That Scammed More Than $3K In Gift Cards, Items From Lehigh Valley Kohl’s Recognize them? Authorities are seeking the public’s help identifying two people that allegedly scammed thousands of dollars’ worth of gift cards and merchandise from a Lehigh Valley Kohl’s store. The couple — pictured above — scammed $3,200 in gift cards and other items from the Kohl's on Easton-Nazareth Hwy. in Easton on Saturday, July 30, Colonial Regional Police said. They are also suspected in similar thefts at other Kohl’s stores in the area, according to police. Anyone with information about the suspects’ identities is asked to contact CRPD Officer Font at 610-861-4820. All tips can…
Accused Scammer Busted At Doorstep Of Elderly Would-Be Victim Who Almost Lost Thousands: Police Accused Scammer Busted At Doorstep Of Elderly Would-Be Victim Who Almost Lost Thousands: Police
Accused Scammer Busted At Doorstep Of Elderly Would-Be Victim Who Almost Lost Thousands: Police A man accused of trying to scam an elderly woman out of thousands of dollars was busted as he showed up on her doorstep to collect the payment, state police said. Troopers taking the report of the scam at a home on Juniper Court in East Allen Township on Wednesday, July 27 were told by the 88-year-old homeowner that she received a call from someone claiming to be her grandson stating that he was in prison and needed money to get out of jail. Another person then got on the phone and claimed to be a lawyer before asking the woman for $6,500 in cash, police said. The woman reportedly withdrew…
Federal Convict Who Hatched $400,000 GoFundMe Scam Gets NJ Prison Time, Too Federal Convict Who Hatched $400,000 GoFundMe Scam Gets NJ Prison Time, Too
Federal Convict Who Hatched $400,000 GoFundMe Scam Gets NJ Prison Time, Too UPDATE: A New Jersey man already serving federal prison time for a GoFundMe scheme that conned 14,000 donors across the country out of $400,000 to purportedly benefit a homeless veteran got a state prison sentence, as well. The plea-bargained five-year term approved by a Superior Court judge in Mount Holly on Friday will run at the same time as the 27-month federal sentence that Mark D'Amico of Trenton received in April. The difference is that there's no parole in the federal prison system, which keeps D'Amico in the medium-security United States Penitentiary in Lewisburg, PA for more than…
NJ Woman Who Pulled $400,000 GoFundMe Scam With Homeless Vet, Ex-BF Gets Federal Prison Time NJ Woman Who Pulled $400,000 GoFundMe Scam With Homeless Vet, Ex-BF Gets Federal Prison Time
NJ Woman Who Pulled $400,000 GoFundMe Scam With Homeless Vet, Ex-BF Gets Federal Prison Time UPDATE: A New Jersey woman who helped pull a scam that conned 14,000 GoFundMe donors across the country out of $400,000 to purportedly benefit a homeless veteran is headed to federal prison. Katelyn McClure, 32, of Bordentown got a far lighter sentence under the terms of her plea deal with the government than did her former boyfriend, Mark D’Amico, who concocted the cruel scheme. McClure was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Camden on Thursday to a plea-bargained year and a day in a federal penitentiary. D’Amico, the "mastermind," earlier this year got 27 months in a fed pen in exchange …
NOT TODAY, PAL: Fair Lawn Senior Turns Tables On 'Grandparent Scam' Artists NOT TODAY, PAL: Fair Lawn Senior Turns Tables On 'Grandparent Scam' Artists
NOT Today, PAL: Fair Lawn Senior Turns Tables On 'Grandparent Scam' Artists Not everyone falls for the "grandchild in trouble" scam. A Fair Lawn senior citizen who’d been targeted by scammers quickly figured out what was what and immediately called police. Detective Chris O’Shaughnessy responded to the Barry Place home after someone claiming to be a lawyer called a resident there and asked for $11,000 bail to get the would-be victim's granddaughter out of jail, Sgt. Brian Metzler said. A woman was waiting outside to pick up the money, the caller said. O’Shaughnessy found the woman, 21-year-old Destiny Gonzalez of New York, NY, “whose story would keep changing dur…
PUNKED! Hapless Scammers Trying To Swindle $25K From Teaneck Man Get Stung By Police Instead PUNKED! Hapless Scammers Trying To Swindle $25K From Teaneck Man Get Stung By Police Instead
Punked! Hapless Scammers Trying To Swindle $25K From Teaneck Man Get Stung By Police Instead A pair of flim-flammers who thought they’d fooled a Teaneck grandfather into forking over $25,500 to get a supposedly drunk-driving family member out of jail found the tables turned when they showed up to collect, authorities said. The “victim” who held an envelope stuffed with the supposed cash as he stood waiting for the two Plainfield teens on a township street was actually a Teaneck police detective clutching worthless paper, they said. Police had been alerted by the would-be victim after he got a call from one of the wanna-be con artists, Police Chief Glenn M. O’Reilly said. Pretendin…
North Jersey Store Clerk Saves Would-Be Scam Victim Last Minute North Jersey Store Clerk Saves Would-Be Scam Victim Last Minute
North Jersey Store Clerk Saves Would-Be Scam Victim Last Minute A North Jersey store clerk came to the rescue of a distraught 90-year-old woman who was moments away from losing thousands in a scam. The Nutley woman had gotten a call from a girl claiming to be her granddaughter asking for help and to “please don’t tell mom” on Friday, April 29, Police Director Alphonse Petracco and Chief Thomas Strumolo said. A man pretending to be from Sayreville then took over the call and told the woman that her granddaughter had been arrested and that she needed to send money immediately.  The woman withdrew $2,000 and was moments away from wiring the money to …
‘Very Alarming:’ Scammer Steals Elderly Woman’s Wallet In Warren County ShopRite Parking Lot ‘Very Alarming:’ Scammer Steals Elderly Woman’s Wallet In Warren County ShopRite Parking Lot
‘Very Alarming:’ Scammer Steals Elderly Woman’s Wallet In Warren County ShopRite Parking Lot Police are investigating after a scammer stole an elderly woman’s wallet in the parking lot of a Warren County ShopRite store. Officers responding to the theft report at the parking lot of Aldi in Pohatcong Township were told by the victim that a Hispanic man had just approached her while she was inside her car outside ShopRite in Greenwich Township on Thursday, April 21. The man, who the victim said spoke limited English, was holding lugnuts and told her that he believed they had come off of her car, police said. As the woman rolled her window down, the man grabbed her wallet and ran. On…
'They Got Greedy:’ 2 Nabbed After Scamming Cash From Morris County Man, Going Back For More 'They Got Greedy:’ 2 Nabbed After Scamming Cash From Morris County Man, Going Back For More
'They Got Greedy:’ 2 Nabbed After Scamming Cash From Morris County Man, Going Back For More Two suspects were arrested after "convincingly" scamming money from a Morris County man and trying to go back a second time for additional proceeds, police say. The suspects — whose identities were not released — scammed a Riverdale man out of a “large sum of cash” by “convincingly” telling him that his son was in jail and needed bail money, local police said in a Thursday release. After finding success with the first attempt, the pair went back a second time and tried to scam the victim out of even more cash, police said. “They got greedy and tried to get more money from him a second time…
63-Year-Old Hackettstown Woman Loses $7K In Scam Involving Bogus PNC Bank Worker, Police Say 63-Year-Old Hackettstown Woman Loses $7K In Scam Involving Bogus PNC Bank Worker, Police Say
63-Year-Old Hackettstown Woman Loses $7K In Scam Involving Bogus PNC Bank Worker, Police Say Police have issued a warning to local residents after a 63-year-old Hackettstown woman was scammed out of $7,000 by someone posing as a PNC bank worker. The scammer posed as a bank employee and told the victim that her bank account was compromised, police said in a Wednesday release. “According to the victim, the scammer was very persistent and then the scammer allegedly convinced the victim to pay with various gift cards to have her accounts secured,” police said. The victim bought $7,000 worth of Best Buy and Target gift cards, scratched off all of the PIN numbers, and told the informati…
‘Devious:’ PA Pool Shop Owner Scammed 26 Clients Out Of Thousands For Years, DA Says ‘Devious:’ PA Pool Shop Owner Scammed 26 Clients Out Of Thousands For Years, DA Says
‘Devious:’ PA Pool Shop Owner Scammed 26 Clients Out Of Thousands For Years, DA Says A Pennsylvania pool shop owner was slapped with dozens of charges Tuesday after an investigation found that he had spent years scamming at least 26 customers out of thousands of dollars, the district attorney announced. Roger Kornfeind, of Bethlehem, faces 26 counts each of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property, as well as 23 counts of home improvement fraud, Northampton County District Attorney Terence Houck said. Kornfeind — the owner of Hydro Dynamic Pools — has been defrauding customers at locations in Pen Argyl, Northampton County; Slatington, Lehigh County; and Oley, …
Detectives Turn Tables On Scammers Who Thought They'd Conned Bergen County Grandma Detectives Turn Tables On Scammers Who Thought They'd Conned Bergen County Grandma
Detectives Turn Tables On Scammers Who Thought They'd Conned Bergen County Grandma GOTCHA! Two gutless 20-year-olds from the Bronx thought they'd conned a Woodcliff Lake woman out of $6,000 with the "grandson in trouble" scam -- only they ended up being the ones who got punked. A caller claiming to be her grandson told the intended victim that he'd been arrested and needed bail money, WCL Police Lt. Chad Malloy said. The caller gave the grandmother the name and number of someone who he said was an attorney. That person would come to her house and collect the $6,000 from her, then bring it to court to secure his release, he told her. Grandma knew better, though. She went …
FACT CHECK: Do Carjackers Put Plastic Bottles In Wheel Wells To Distract Drivers? FACT CHECK: Do Carjackers Put Plastic Bottles In Wheel Wells To Distract Drivers?
Fact Check: Do Carjackers Put Plastic Bottles In Wheel Wells To Distract Drivers? Despite what someone you know might have shared, carjackers aren't going around shoving empty plastic bottles between motorists' tires and wheel wells as a distraction. Next month marks four years since the mythical "warning" emerged out of Africa and worked its way around the globe. The idea, it's said, is you'll hear the sound of the bottle being crushed and get out of your car to investigate. At that point, the carjacker robs you of your ride. The bogus alert begins: "PLEASE READ Police warn: if you find a plastic bottle near your car, you may be in danger." You won't and you're not, a…
Men Wanted In NJ Grandparent Scam After Pretending To Be Jailed Grandkids: Prosecutor Men Wanted In NJ Grandparent Scam After Pretending To Be Jailed Grandkids: Prosecutor
Men Wanted In NJ Grandparent Scam After Pretending To Be Jailed Grandkids: Prosecutor A pair of New York men are wanted by authorities for pretending to be New Jersey residents' jailed grandchildren asking for bail money, scamming them out of thousands of dollars, authorities said. Jorge Peguero-Mendez, 34, and Richard Quinones-Perez, 24, both of the Bronx, New York, are wanted on charges of theft by deception and conspiracy to commit theft by deception, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said. An elderly victim from Barnegat was contacted in December 2021 by an individual claiming to be her grandson, authorities said. The individual informed her that he had b…