Massapequa, NY
Breaking News
State Police Issue Alert For Pet Scam State Police Issue Alert For Pet Scam State Police Issue Alert For Pet Scam
State Police Issue Alert For Pet Scam New York State Police have received multiple calls from people scammed out of hundreds of dollars after answering classified ads for purebred puppies for sale. Victims report after answering the ad, the suspects provide a photo of the breed they are looking for and arrange a deposit to be paid, said Trooper James O’Callaghan. Once the deposit is cleared, the victim is provided an address, which does not exist, to pick up their puppy.  Recently, these fake addresses have been in the St. Lawrence County area. State Police warn the public of some common themes in this scam: The…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
Worcester, MA
Breaking News
Did You Get Your Refund? FTC Recovered $17 Million For MA From Alleged Scammers Did You Get Your Refund? FTC Recovered $17 Million For MA From Alleged Scammers Did You Get Your Refund? FTC Recovered $17 Million For MA From Alleged Scammers
Did You Get Your Refund? FTC Recovered $17 Million For MA From Alleged Scammers More than $17 million is being returned to people in Massachusetts who had fallen prey to false advertising or another business scam since 2018. According to data provided by the Federal Trade Commission, since July 2018 more than 99,000 Massachusetts residents have been bilked out of $17.65 million through savings and loans, unauthorized debts and charges, grant, and payday loan scams among other types of deception. When the FTC sends refunds, it usually uses customer lists and contact information it gets from the defendants, the FTC said. If that information isn’t available, the agency …

SHARE

by Kristin Palpini
Mount Pleasant, NY
Breaking News
Young Hudson Valley Man Falls Victim To Romance Scam, Loses Thousands Young Hudson Valley Man Falls Victim To Romance Scam, Loses Thousands Young Hudson Valley Man Falls Victim To Romance Scam, Loses Thousands
Young Hudson Valley Man Falls Victim To Romance Scam, Loses Thousands Police are investigating a case where a young man fell victim to a romance scam. The woman in Rockland County told the man she was corresponding with through a dating app she needed some financial assistance with a business matter, Ramapo Police said. The woman said she would mail him a check to deposit into his bank account, and that he needed to mail back a check for a lesser amount – in essence, he was allowed to keep the difference for his trouble.  Days later, his bank contacted him saying that the check he deposited was bogus. He is now out several thousand dollars, Ramapo Polic…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
Mount Pleasant, NY
Breaking News
COVID-19: Police Issue Warning For Vaccine Scams COVID-19: Police Issue Warning For Vaccine Scams COVID-19: Police Issue Warning For Vaccine Scams
Covid-19: Police Issue Warning For Vaccine Scams With allocations of the COVID-19 vaccine being shipped across the country, some law enforcement agencies are warning of schemers looking to take advantage of vulnerable residents during the pandemic. The Scarsdale Police Department was the latest to issue an alert advising of schemers who have been using the announcement of a COVID-19 vaccine to obtain personal identifying information or cash during scams. Scarsdale Police Chief Andrew Matturo said you may be in the midst of a COVID-19-related scam if: You receive a telephone call, text message, email, or computer pop-up that you did not …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Worcester, MA
Breaking News
There Is No COVID-19 Vaccination Wait-List - New Scams Exploit Pandemic Fears There Is No COVID-19 Vaccination Wait-List - New Scams Exploit Pandemic Fears There Is No COVID-19 Vaccination Wait-List - New Scams Exploit Pandemic Fears
There Is No Covid-19 Vaccination Wait-List - New Scams Exploit Pandemic Fears The winter holidays typically see a surge in scams and this year, crooks are exploiting people’s fears around COVID-19 to get them to open their wallets and/or share personal information. On Tuesday, Dec. 15, the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office warned the community about a host of new COVID-19-themed schemes that are already being used against people. The Federal Trade Commission said vaccine-related scams have begun to make the rounds. To better prepare yourself against being tricked out of money or information, the FTC and DA advised people of the following: You likely will not…

SHARE

by Kristin Palpini
Hackensack, NJ
Breaking News
NJ, NY, Feds Shut Down Sham Charity Operation That Scammed Donors Out Of Tens Of Millions NJ, NY, Feds Shut Down Sham Charity Operation That Scammed Donors Out Of Tens Of Millions NJ, NY, Feds Shut Down Sham Charity Operation That Scammed Donors Out Of Tens Of Millions
NJ, NY, Feds Shut Down Sham Charity Operation That Scammed Donors Out Of Tens Of Millions Kind-hearted donors in New Jersey and New York were scammed out of tens of millions of dollars by a telephone soliciting operation that claimed to raise money for homeless veterans, retired and disabled law enforcement officers, breast cancer survivors and others in need, authorities said Wednesday. A joint lawsuit filed by the state of New Jersey, the Federal Trade Commission and the attorneys general of New York, Minnesota and Virginia has permanently shut down the operation headed by Mark Gelvan, a telemarketing consultant who'd been banned for life from raising funds for charity more th…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
Massapequa, NY
On Your Side
COVID-19: Alert Issued For Callers Posing As Contact Tracers To Get Credit, Bank Account Info COVID-19: Alert Issued For Callers Posing As Contact Tracers To Get Credit, Bank Account Info COVID-19: Alert Issued For Callers Posing As Contact Tracers To Get Credit, Bank Account Info
Covid-19: Alert Issued For Callers Posing As Contact Tracers To Get Credit, Bank Account Info Don’t fall for it. Fraudsters have been making the rounds, looking to take advantage of the COVID-19 crisis, posing as contact tracers seeking personal information from suspect victims amid the pandemic. Since the outbreak began six months ago, contact tracing has become a vital tool as health officials seek to identify positive COVID-19 cases, tracing back to the people they’ve been in contact with and isolating them to help curtail the spread of the virus. Recently, some state and federal officials issued a warning that some scammers have been posing as contact tracers, using that faux i…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Mount Pleasant, NY
Breaking News
Alert Issued For Package Text Message Scam Alert Issued For Package Text Message Scam Alert Issued For Package Text Message Scam
Alert Issued For Package Text Message Scam A new text messaging scam involving mailed packages that allow fraudsters to gain access to personal information has been making the rounds across the country, federal officials warn. The Federal Trade Commission is among the agencies that have issued an alert after consumers made numerous complaints after receiving a text message saying that a package pending, telling the user to click a link to set up delivery for the item. Once the link is clicked, users will be instructed to provide personal identifying information. Scammers have posed as drivers from FedEx, USPS, UPS, and other deliver…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
North Hunterdon, NJ
Breaking News
'Don't Fall For It,' Hackettstown Police Warn After Elderly Woman Scammed Out Of $2.2K 'Don't Fall For It,' Hackettstown Police Warn After Elderly Woman Scammed Out Of $2.2K 'Don't Fall For It,' Hackettstown Police Warn After Elderly Woman Scammed Out Of $2.2K
'Don't Fall For It,' Hackettstown Police Warn After Elderly Woman Scammed Out Of $2.2K Hackettstown police are warning the public of scammers after an elderly woman apparently lost more than $2,000 to one. The 82-year-old victim got an email that she believed was from Apple Inc., in reference to a charge on her account from a game she purchased Sept. 2, local police said. The victim never purchased a game, so she called the company and spoke to a woman regarding the alleged charge. The woman instructed the victim to go to a nearby store and purchase Apple gift cards, while remaining on the phone.  And so, the victim left for the store. When she got there, there weren't…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
North Hunterdon, NJ
Breaking News
Hackettstown Bank Teller Saves Man From Wiring $40K To Scammers Hackettstown Bank Teller Saves Man From Wiring $40K To Scammers Hackettstown Bank Teller Saves Man From Wiring $40K To Scammers
Hackettstown Bank Teller Saves Man From Wiring $40K To Scammers Not all heroes wear capes. A Hackettstown bank employee saved an 80-year-old man from wiring $40,000 to scammers who told him his vehicle had been found near the Mexican border with 22 pounds of cocaine. The man received multiple phone calls from scammers impersonating police officers who told him that a car belonging to him had been found in Texas near the Mexico border with blood stains and 22 pounds of cocaine around 4:20 p.m. last Friday, Hackettstown police said in a release. The scammers told the man that he would be arrested unless he wired $40,000 to the Office of the Inspector Gen…

SHARE

by Valerie Musson
Massapequa, NY
Breaking News
COVID-19: Alert Issued For Contact Tracer Scam COVID-19: Alert Issued For Contact Tracer Scam COVID-19: Alert Issued For Contact Tracer Scam
Covid-19: Alert Issued For Contact Tracer Scam Fraudsters posing as contact tracers have been exploiting the COVID-19 crisis to ascertain personal information from residents in the region. Multiple reports of scammers posing as COVID-19 contact tracers have been reported since the pandemic began, prompting officials to issue an alert and provide guidance on how to avoid becoming a victim. Officials said that the imposters claim to work on behalf of local law enforcement or health departments and are required to install contact tracing software onto their victims’ computers. The scammers have threatened fines, asked for personal financi…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Garfield-Lodi, NJ
Breaking News
Authorities: Garfield PD Nabs Man Who Scammed Upstate NY Grandma Out Of Nearly $12,800 Authorities: Garfield PD Nabs Man Who Scammed Upstate NY Grandma Out Of Nearly $12,800 Authorities: Garfield PD Nabs Man Who Scammed Upstate NY Grandma Out Of Nearly $12,800
Authorities: Garfield PD Nabs Man Who Scammed Upstate NY Grandma Out Of Nearly $12,800 An elderly New York State woman was conned out of $7,000 in a grandparent scam -- and nearly lost $5,800 more before Garfield police grabbed a Paterson man as he collected the second payment, authorities said. Jose A. Torres-Dejesus, 27, called the victim on Friday claiming to be her grandson, Detective Capt. Richard Uram said. Torres-Dejesus told the woman he’d been involved in a DUI crash and needed money, Uram said. He then gave her a phone number, saying it was his attorney, the captain said. The woman called the number and a man who answered said she had overnight $7,000 in cash to a…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco