$10M Lie: Sweet-Talking Scammer Conned Chatham Victim Out Of Thousands, Police Say
A fraudster convinced an elderly Capital Region man he had won millions in a sweepstakes, then walked away with tens of thousands in cash, police said.
Lance Norman, 36, of Queens, was arrested on Monday, May 12, in connection with an elaborate Publishers Clearing House scam that targeted a victim in Columbia County, according to New York State Police.
A Chatham man told troopers he received a phone call claiming he had won $10 million and a new Mercedes-Benz. The caller instructed him that in order to claim the prize, he needed to pay taxes up front.
The victim handed over approximately $…
Duo's $387K Bank Scam Of Port Washington Victim Ends In Crash With Police Car, Cops Say
A months-long phone scam that tricked a Long Island woman out of nearly $400,000 ended in a dramatic crash and two Massachusetts men in handcuffs, police said.
Port Washington Police arrested Dominique Jones, 24, and Jean Saint Fort, 22, both of Chelsea, Massachusetts, following an undercover operation on Friday, May 2, in Greenvale.
Investigators determined that the pair called the victim in February, claiming to be a Chase Bank fraud department representative, Nassau County Police said. Over the next two months, they convinced her to withdraw large sums of money in response to supposed “s…
Columbia Co. Victim Gave $100K In Gold, Cash To Scammer Posing As Federal Agent, Police Say
A Long Island man posing as a federal agent conned a Hudson Valley woman into handing over nearly $100,000 in cash and gold, police said.
Mykhaylo Mykhaylov, 39, of Copiague, was busted during an undercover operation in Columbia County on Wednesday, May 7 — just as the victim was about to deliver yet another payment, New York State Police said.
The 73-year-old victim first contacted police on Monday, May 5, after realizing she may have been targeted in a fraud scheme that began in March. She told troopers that people claiming to be agents with the Federal Trade Commission had convinced her …
Father-Daughter Duo Who Stole $230K From Elderly Victim In Kingston Dodges Prison
A father and daughter who scammed a 92-year-old woman out of more than $230,000 in Ulster County won’t spend a day in prison.
Frank Whittaker, 56, of Kingston, and his daughter, Christine Ellsworth, 39, of Accord, were sentenced to probation and ordered to pay restitution in Ulster County Court on Tuesday, March 4.
The daddy-daughter duo gained the victim’s trust by helping with yard work and household tasks, according to the New York Attorney General’s office. Over time, Whittaker convinced the woman to grant him Power of Attorney over her finances.
But instead of managing her money resp…
