Fog/Mist 44°
Tag:

Scam

Police & Fire
Phone Scam: Man Nabbed After Swindling Victim Out Of $28K In Northern Westchester, Police Say Phone Scam: Man Nabbed After Swindling Victim Out Of $28K In Northern Westchester, Police Say
Phone Scam: Man Nabbed After Swindling Victim Out Of $28K In Northern Westchester, Police Say A 48-year-old man was hit with a grand larceny charge after posing as a Microsoft employee and scamming a victim out of $28,000 in Northern Westchester, police announced. The arrest stemmed from an incident on Thursday, April 18, when a victim told Bedford Police that he had been swindled out of tens of thousands of dollars, the department announced on Wednesday, April 24.  According to Bedford Police, the victim had received a pop-up security alert appearing to be from "Microsoft" on their home computer that included a phone number to call for support. Upon calling the number, the vic…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Scammers Posing As NYSP Troopers, Agency Warns Scammers Posing As NYSP Troopers, Agency Warns
Scammers Posing As Nysp Troopers, Agency Warns New York State Police are sounding the alarm over scammers posing as troopers in order to con victims out of their money. In an alert issued Tuesday, April 9, the agency said fraudsters employ a variety of tactics to con their victims, including demanding payment for a missed court date, jury duty, or other legal matter. The phony cops have also been known to claim there is a warrant for the victim’s arrest and threaten to apprehend them unless a fine is paid. In some cases, scammers have directed the victim to buy a prepaid money transfer card and give them the card number. “They might s…

SHARE

by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Scammers From NY Thinking They Were Collecting $60K Land Behind Bars In Maryland: Sheriff Scammers From NY Thinking They Were Collecting $60K Land Behind Bars In Maryland: Sheriff
Scammers From NY Thinking They Were Collecting $60K Land Behind Bars In Maryland: Sheriff A couple of New Yorkers tried to pull a fast one on a woman in Maryland, but were ultimately apprehended after getting greedy and attempting to go to the well one too many times.  The Washington County Sheriff's Office was advised this week about a scam involving a pair who had been collecting large amounts of cash from a Hagerstown woman, prompting an investigation that led to the arrests of Jinghai Fang and Binbin Ge. In late March, investigators say that the woman received a notification on her tablet that one of her accounts had been hacked, so she called the supplied number and fo…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Scam Alert: Suspect Demanding Payment For Missed Jury Duty In Westchester, Police Warn Scam Alert: Suspect Demanding Payment For Missed Jury Duty In Westchester, Police Warn
Scam Alert: Suspect Demanding Payment For Missed Jury Duty In Westchester, Police Warn Authorities in Westchester are advising residents of a scam involving a suspect posing as law enforcement and demanding payment for missed jury duty.  The scheme was announced on Friday, Jan. 12 by White Plains Public Safety, which said that the scams have been reported in other jurisdictions.  According to police, victims of the scam will receive a phone call from someone claiming to be a law enforcement official. The caller will then tell the victim that they missed jury duty and will demand a payment.  Additionally, the suspect will tell the victim that if they do not sen…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Scammers Posing As Court Officials, Claiming Victims Owe Parking Ticket Fines In Westchester Scammers Posing As Court Officials, Claiming Victims Owe Parking Ticket Fines In Westchester
Scammers Posing As Court Officials, Claiming Victims Owe Parking Ticket Fines In Westchester A police department in Westchester is advising residents of a scheme involving scammers posing as court officials and asking victims to pay hundreds of dollars after claiming they owe parking ticket fines.  The scam was detailed in an announcement by the Port Chester Police Department on Thursday, Jan. 11.  According to the department, victims of the scheme have reported being called by someone claiming that they owe several thousand dollars in parking ticket fines to the Port Chester Courts.  The victims are then offered a "plea deal" in which they can pay several hund…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Police Warn Of Scam Letters Asking For Donations In Hudson Valley: 'Be Vigilant' Police Warn Of Scam Letters Asking For Donations In Hudson Valley: 'Be Vigilant'
Police Warn Of Scam Letters Asking For Donations In Hudson Valley: 'Be Vigilant' Authorities in the Hudson Valley are warning residents to be on the lookout for letters soliciting funds that falsely appear to be sent on behalf of law enforcement.  In a warning issued on Monday, Dec. 4, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office advised residents that they may receive letters soliciting donations that appear to be sent on behalf of the Sheriff's Office.  However, the senders are not associated with the Sheriff's Office in any way, authorities said, adding that they are part of a "potential scam."  The Sheriff's Office released an image depicting these letters on …

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Woman Victimized By Scammer Posing As Family Member Over Phone In Westchester Woman Victimized By Scammer Posing As Family Member Over Phone In Westchester
Woman Victimized By Scammer Posing As Family Member Over Phone In Westchester Residents are being warned to be cautious after a woman in New York was contacted by a scammer who posed as her family member in an effort to solicit money from her.  The Westchester County incident happened to a member of the Port Chester Senior Community Center on Wednesday, Oct. 11, when she was victimized by a "grandparent scam," according to an announcement from the center shared by the Port Chester Police Department. According to the community center, the woman received a call from someone who sounded like her grandchild, who said that they were in trouble and needed money …

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Duo Nabbed After Scamming Couple Out Of $9K In Westchester: Police Duo Nabbed After Scamming Couple Out Of $9K In Westchester: Police
Duo Nabbed After Scamming Couple Out Of $9K In Westchester: Police Two men face grand larceny charges after scamming a Westchester couple out of $9,000 by posing as their family member, police said. The arrests stemmed from an incident on Friday, Sept. 15, when an elderly couple living in Harrison received a phone call from someone claiming to be their grandson who claimed they needed money to make bail after being arrested for a DUI offense, Harrison Police announced.  The couple then traveled to a bank and took out $9,000 in cash in order to help their "grandson," not realizing that they were being scammed. Two men, identified as Bronx residents De…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Scam Alert: Callers Falsely Posing As 'Westchester Sheriff,' Police Say Scam Alert: Callers Falsely Posing As 'Westchester Sheriff,' Police Say
Scam Alert: Callers Falsely Posing As 'Westchester Sheriff,' Police Say Authorities in Westchester are warning residents of a scam involving callers falsely posing as police and claiming that there is a warrant out for the arrest of the victim.  The scam has consisted of callers pretending to be from the “Westchester County Sheriff’s Office," which does not exist, the Westchester County Police Department announced on Friday, Sept. 22.  According to the department, the police impersonators will then proceed to claim that there is a warrant for the arrest of the victim being contacted for failure to appear for grand jury duty. The scammers will al…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Suspects Steal Cash, Jewelry Using Sleight Hand Techniques In Yorktown: Police Suspects Steal Cash, Jewelry Using Sleight Hand Techniques In Yorktown: Police
Suspects Steal Cash, Jewelry Using Sleight Hand Techniques In Yorktown: Police Two patrons of a bank and supermarket in Northern Westchester became the victims of four scammers who used sleight-of-hand techniques to steal both cash and jewelry from them, police said.  Both incidents happened within a few days of each other in Yorktown, the town's police department announced on Wednesday, Aug. 23, in addition to releasing surveillance photos of the four suspects.  The first theft happened at an unnamed bank in Jefferson Valley when a senior citizen was approached by a woman wearing a baseball cap after withdrawing funds from the bank and getting in her vehicl…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Social Security Phone Scams On Rise In Northern Westchester: Here's How To Tell Social Security Phone Scams On Rise In Northern Westchester: Here's How To Tell
Social Security Phone Scams On Rise In Northern Westchester: Here's How To Tell Police in Northern Westchester are warning residents of a scam involving criminals posing as Social Security Administration officials and asking for personal information, which they say is becoming more common.  The warning came on Thursday, Aug. 10 from the North Castle Police Department, which said that there has been an uptick in unsolicited calls from people claiming to be from the federal Social Security Administration.  According to the department, victims contacted by scammers will be told that they are eligible for an increase in their Social Security checks.  Howeve…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
News
Teens, Young Adults Targeted By Fake Check Scam: Suspect At Large In Westchester, Police Say Teens, Young Adults Targeted By Fake Check Scam: Suspect At Large In Westchester, Police Say
Teens, Young Adults Targeted By Fake Check Scam: Suspect At Large In Westchester, Police Say Authorities in Westchester are searching for a suspect who has been asking teenagers and young adults to cash fake checks for him as a way to get them to send him large amounts of money, officials said.  The search was prompted by two incidents that happened in the village of Larchmont at a Chase Bank located at 125 Chatsworth Ave., village officials said on Monday, April 24.  The two incidents involved a suspect approaching female teenagers and asking them to cash a fake check for him, claiming that he cannot cash the check against his account.  The man would then offe…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Suspect At Large After Woman Scammed By Email From 'Familiar Name At Workplace' Suspect At Large After Woman Scammed By Email From 'Familiar Name At Workplace'
Suspect At Large After Woman Scammed By Email From 'Familiar Name At Workplace' A suspect is at large after allegedly scamming a  woman out of money in an email scam pretending he was someone from her workplace in Connecticut. In Fairfield County, the incident took place on Wednesday, March 15 when Darien Police met with the victim of the larceny involving an email scam. The victim reported that earlier in the day she received an email from a familiar name at her workplace. The email requested that she purchase gift cards related to her work function, Darien PD Sgt. Dan Skoumbros said. The email explained to the victim that pictures of the gift cards wi…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Duo Scams Victim Out Of Cash With Promise Of Winning Lottery Ticket In Westchester: Police Duo Scams Victim Out Of Cash With Promise Of Winning Lottery Ticket In Westchester: Police
Duo Scams Victim Out Of Cash With Promise Of Winning Lottery Ticket In Westchester: Police A victim was scammed out of a large amount of money in Westchester after two women convinced her into giving them a deposit to help them cash a fake winning lottery ticket and then split the proceeds. The incident happened on Thursday afternoon, March 16, when the victim was approached by two Hispanic women in Port Chester on Midland Avenue, according to Port Chester Police.  The two women began to befriend the victim and managed to convince her that they had a winning lottery ticket but could not cash it for an unknown reason.  They then convinced the victim to return home and g…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Scammers Targeting Religious Groups, Parishioners In Hudson Valley Scammers Targeting Religious Groups, Parishioners In Hudson Valley
Scammers Targeting Religious Groups, Parishioners In Hudson Valley Authorities in the Hudson Valley are warning residents of scammers who have been asking for fraudulent donation requests from religious groups and parishioners.  The warning was issued by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office on Friday, March 10, which said that the scams consist of fraudulent solicitors asking parishioners to donate to their local houses of worship. Usually, the scenario will consist of religious victims being sent an email or text message stating that their house of worship is collecting donations in the form of cash or gift cards, authorities said. The Sheri…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Scam Alert: Fake Fundraiser Involves Police Sweatshirts In Northern Westchester Scam Alert: Fake Fundraiser Involves Police Sweatshirts In Northern Westchester
Scam Alert: Fake Fundraiser Involves Police Sweatshirts In Northern Westchester A police department in Northern Westchester is warning of a fake fundraiser involving the sale of sweatshirts emblazoned with the department's logo.  Sweatshirts sold by MONZANO24 that display the Yorktown Police Department's logo have been falsely advertised as a fundraiser for the department, Yorktown Police said in a post on Monday, Jan. 23.  This is a SCAM if advertised as a fundraiser for YPD. If we ever advertise any item for sale as a fundraiser (like our... Posted by Yorktown Police Department on Monday, January 23, 2023 Members of the department said that any actual fundraise…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Scam Alert: Sweatshirts With Patch Are Fake, Fire Department In Hudson Valley Says Scam Alert: Sweatshirts With Patch Are Fake, Fire Department In Hudson Valley Says
Scam Alert: Sweatshirts With Patch Are Fake, Fire Department In Hudson Valley Says A fire department in the Hudson Valley is warning people not to buy fake sweatshirts that scammers are offering online.  The sweatshirts display a patch with the name of the Lake Carmel Fire Department and are offered by different users on Facebook, including one by the name of "Shawon Rohan Amhad," which the department reported and blocked.  "We are NOT selling these and have NEVER authorized the use of our patch for anyone else to do so!" the department said in a post on Friday, Dec. 23, adding, " In the event we ever have shirts available for sale they will be sold directly fro…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
'Human Piece Of Garbage' Scams Woman Out Of $2K In Northern Westchester, Police Say 'Human Piece Of Garbage' Scams Woman Out Of $2K In Northern Westchester, Police Say
'Human Piece Of Garbage' Scams Woman Out Of $2K In Northern Westchester, Police Say Although a woman from Northern Westchester unfortunately lost $2,000 to a scammer, it could have been much worse, police said. It all started when a woman from Yorktown was contacted by a "human piece of garbage" who claimed to be tech support from Google or Microsoft, and told the victim that he needed to access her email and bank accounts to prevent a virus from compromising them, Yorktown Police said in a post on Wednesday, Dec. 14.  As part of the ruse, the victim purchased close to $2,000 in gift cards on three separate days and then sent scanned pictures of these cards to the sca…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Don't Fall For It: Police In Hudson Valley Warn Of E-Mail Scam Involving Geek Squad Don't Fall For It: Police In Hudson Valley Warn Of E-Mail Scam Involving Geek Squad
Don't Fall For It: Police In Hudson Valley Warn Of E-Mail Scam Involving Geek Squad Police in the Hudson Valley are warning residents of a scam allegedly involving Best Buy's popular Geek Squad after receiving multiple complaints. Victims are being contacted via email reporting that they owe money for a service plan and that there is a past due balance on their account, according to the Spring Valley Police. Victims then provide their bank account information or pre-paid gift cards only to realize a day later a large sum of money is removed from their account without permission, police said. Please contact Detective Fantasia at 845-721-9562 if you have any information on …

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Police In Westchester Warn Against Scammers Posing As Fire Department Members Police In Westchester Warn Against Scammers Posing As Fire Department Members
Police In Westchester Warn Against Scammers Posing As Fire Department Members A police department in Westchester County is warning against scammers posing as fire department members to get business owners to pay them money.  Police said a business owner in Eastchester was contacted by an individual claiming to be part of the town's fire department who said that their business's fire extinguishers were expired, and that they should pay to have their extinguishers inspected, according to a post by Eastchester Police from Wednesday, Nov. 9.  The Eastchester Fire Department would not inspect portable fire extinguishers except for periodic building fire inspecti…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Don't Be Fooled: Westchester County Police Warn Against Fake Phone Call Scam Don't Be Fooled: Westchester County Police Warn Against Fake Phone Call Scam
Don't Be Fooled: Westchester County Police Warn Against Fake Phone Call Scam The Westchester County Police Department is warning of fake phone calls involving scammers posing as officers with the department.  The fake calls come from scammers claiming to be a lieutenant with Westchester County Police who suggest that the victim may be in violation of "a new 'federal DNA mandate,'" according to police.  The caller will then tell the victim that a warrant has been issued for their arrest but that they can clear the warrant by buying five "MoneyPaks," or prepaid debit cards, from a local store and depositing $500 on each card, police said.  Then, t…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Fraudsters Posing As Door-To-Door Salespeople In Westchester, Police Warn Fraudsters Posing As Door-To-Door Salespeople In Westchester, Police Warn
Fraudsters Posing As Door-To-Door Salespeople In Westchester, Police Warn Police issued an alert to Westchester County residents about a common scam where individuals pose as door-to-door salespeople. The City of Rye Police Department made the announcement on Tuesday, Aug. 16. "With so many residents doing home improvements we have a lot of contractors in our area," police said. "With the optic of our neighborhoods filled with contractors we want to make sure you don’t let your guard down and become the victim of a scam." Police said scammers often claim to be salespeople for a construction company or contractors with extra supplies and say they can offer a good…

SHARE

by Nicole Valinote
News
Don't Fall For It: Croton-On-Hudson Fire Department Issues Alert About Scam Messages Don't Fall For It: Croton-On-Hudson Fire Department Issues Alert About Scam Messages
Don't Fall For It: Croton-On-Hudson Fire Department Issues Alert About Scam Messages A Northern Westchester fire department issued an alert about a texting scam where individuals are pretending to sell apparel on behalf of the department. The Croton-on-Hudson Fire Department said in an announcement on Saturday, Aug. 6, that scammers are texting individuals a link and claiming to offer deals to buy fire department shirts. Officials said this is a scam, and the fire department is not selling any shirts or other apparel. The only legitimate items residents may see from the Croton-on-Hudson Fire Department are its "Fund Drive" letters in the mail or "Big Bucks" raffle tickets …

SHARE

by Nicole Valinote
Police & Fire
Don't Fall For It: Alert Issued For Scam Callers Posing As Police, Relatives In Area Don't Fall For It: Alert Issued For Scam Callers Posing As Police, Relatives In Area
Don't Fall For It: Alert Issued For Scam Callers Posing As Police, Relatives In Area Authorities have issued a new alert to Hudson Valley residents about scam callers. Putnam County Sheriff Kevin McConville said residents should be wary of calls from individuals asking for money, adding that scammers can use a variety of tactics to trick people. These include impersonating police agencies and claiming a relative was arrested and needs bail, even putting people on the phone to impersonate and child or grandchild. Other times scammers may pretend to be government employees and threaten to arrest or prosecute the victim unless they pay the scammer, he said.  McConville …

SHARE

by Nicole Valinote
Business
Scam Alert: Phishing Text Messages On Rise, New Report Says Scam Alert: Phishing Text Messages On Rise, New Report Says
Scam Alert: Phishing Text Messages On Rise, New Report Says Cybersecurity experts have reported an increase in phishing scam text messages, according to a new report from CNET. Josh Yavor, the chief information security officer at cybersecurity company Tessian, told the news outlet he has seen a recent increase in scammers using text messages for phishing, where they attempt to steal peoples' personal information by pretending to be reputable organizations. CNET also said a report from enterprise security company Proofpoint found that incidents SMS phishing increased by 24 percent in the United States last year. The Federal Trade Commission reporte…

SHARE

by Nicole Valinote
News
Alert Issued For Scammers Asking For Personal Contact Information Alert Issued For Scammers Asking For Personal Contact Information
Alert Issued For Scammers Asking For Personal Contact Information Potential pet owners in Westchester are being cautioned of a scam making the rounds involving opportunistic fraudsters attempting to gain the personal information of those looking to adopt an animal. The SPCA of Westchester issued an alert after receiving reports of at least two scammers who have been reaching out to people asking for a deposit and personal contact information after they show interest in adopting a new pet. According to the SPCA, the scammers have been targeting those who have shown interest in the organization’s adoptable pets through posts on social media. Officials note…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Scammers Banned From Westchester Stop & Shop After Harassing Customers Scammers Banned From Westchester Stop & Shop After Harassing Customers
Scammers Banned From Westchester Stop & Shop After Harassing Customers A group of hecklers in Northern Westchester could be arrested if they return to an area Stop & Shop where they allegedly harassed customers for cash, police said. The North Castle Police Department received a call from a shopper at the North White Plains Stop & Shop on Custis Avenue who said he was approached by multiple Black men in their late teens or early 20s who were asking for donations for their basketball team. Police said that when the caller was preparing to make a donation, an employee from Stop & Shop came outside and advised that the group was scamming him and to n…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Duo Nabbed For Scam Involving Fake Hudson Valley Fatal DWI Crash, Police Say Duo Nabbed For Scam Involving Fake Hudson Valley Fatal DWI Crash, Police Say
Duo Nabbed For Scam Involving Fake Hudson Valley Fatal DWI Crash, Police Say Two women have been arrested in an alleged scam attempt in which they alleged that the victim's relative had been arrested for a fatal DWI crash and needed bail money. Elizabeth Taveras, age 29, and Sade Rosario, age 29, both of New York City, were arrested by the Dutchess County's Sheriff's Office on Friday, Jan. 28, in connection with the scam of an area resident. According to Captain John Watterson, of the Sheriff's Office, the women, posing as a legal team, called a local resident and informed them that a relative was a suspect in a DWI-related fatal crash and that they w…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Duo Nabbed For Attempting To Scam Nearly $10K From Westchester Woman, Police Say Duo Nabbed For Attempting To Scam Nearly $10K From Westchester Woman, Police Say
Duo Nabbed For Attempting To Scam Nearly $10K From Westchester Woman, Police Say Two Connecticut men are facing larceny charges for their alleged attempt to scam a Westchester County woman out of thousands of dollars. Kylo Simons and Rayshawn McFarlane, both of Hartford, were each charged with third-degree larceny, according to the Irvington Police Department. The 77-year-old Irvington woman was contacted by an individual who identified herself as the attorney for the woman's grandson, police said.  The caller reportedly said she had the ability to facilitate a bail transaction of $9,800 for the fake arrest. The victim was then contacted by the same cal…

SHARE

by Nicole Valinote
Police & Fire
Don't Fall For It: Police Issue Alert For Social Security Scam Don't Fall For It: Police Issue Alert For Social Security Scam
Don't Fall For It: Police Issue Alert For Social Security Scam Alarm bells are sounding for law enforcement agencies as a new Social Security scam continues making the rounds as opportunistic fraudsters look to exploit the elderly. An alert was issued by police agencies in New York after they received multiple reports of scammers impersonating Social Security Administration (SSA) employees over the phone requesting personal information or money. Police said that some of the imposters have made threats or demanded immediate payment to help their victims avoid arrest or potential legal action. Officials noted that SSA employees will never threaten anyon…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Alert Issued For Text Message Phishing Scheme On Vaccine Verification COVID-19: Alert Issued For Text Message Phishing Scheme On Vaccine Verification
Covid-19: Alert Issued For Text Message Phishing Scheme On Vaccine Verification State officials are warning New Yorkers about a new scam where individuals attempt to steal information by pretending to be the state Department of Health attempting to validate COVID-19 vaccination status. The New York State Division of Consumer Protection issued the alert on Tuesday, Oct. 12, saying scammers are exploiting policies by employers requiring certain employees to be vaccinated.  The individuals text or email a fraudulent link asking people to enter their personal information.  Officials said anyone who receives these messages should immediately delete them. To prot…

SHARE

by Nicole Valinote