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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…

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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…

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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 …

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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…

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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…

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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…

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by Nicole Valinote
News
Don't Fall For It: Northern Westchester Fire Department Issues Alert About Scam Messages Don't Fall For It: Northern Westchester Fire Department Issues Alert About Scam Messages
Don't Fall For It: Northern Westchester 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 …

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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 …

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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by Kathy Reakes