Suffern Police Thwart Trickster Who Tried To Steal Thousands From Woman

SUFFERN, N.Y. -- An elderly resident was nearly scammed out of thousands of dollars last week by a thief posing as her grandson, Suffern police said.

Suffern police were able to help out an elderly woman who had been targeted by telephone scammers last week.
Photo Credit: *Suffern Police Department*

Carol Reif

02/28/2016 11:00 a.m.

The doting grandma had received a phone call from the so-called grandson who claimed to have been arrested in the Dominican Republic, police said.

Someone else then got on the phone and told the woman to mail them $9,200 in cash to bail him out of jail, police said.

The unwitting victim withdrew the money, went to a UPS store, and sent them the money. A few hours later, she got another call, this time demanding $18,000.

But before she sent the second bundle of bills, she was able to reach her real grandson, who was safe and sound at a college in Pennsylvania, police said.

The woman contacted police, who then worked with UPS to intercept the first package, and return the money to her.

Police said they were glad that things worked out for this one individual but added that the public -- especially seniors, who tend to be targeted -- needs to be more wary of these telephone tricksters.

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