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Scammer targeting elderly people in New York City
The scammer calls his elderly victims and pretends to be a relative of that person and asks for bail money or pretends to be a lawyer for a relative in need of money.
NEW YORK - A man is suspected of targeting elderly people in a phone scam across New York City.
On October 23 at about 11 a.m., a 77-year-old woman received a call frm a man whom she believed was her nephew saying that he had been arrested. The caller asked for bail money and the victim went to a local bank and withdrew $12,000, according to police.
A man picked up the money in an evenlope from the woman at her home.
Video of the suspect wandering the neighborhood of Radcliff Road and Briarcliff Road on Staten Island was released by police Thursday.
On November 2 at about 4 p.m., an 81-year-old woman received a call from a man she believed was her grandson and asked that she speak with his lawyer.
A man told the victim he was a criminal lawyer and that he needed $30,600 for her grandson or he would face criminal charges. A man picked up the money from the victim at her home in the area of East 87th Street and York Avenue, according to police.
In the most recent incident, a man pretending to be a lawyer for an 81-year-old man's grandson told the victim he needed $12,500 to be mailed to him. A short time later, a man picked up the money from the victim in Queens and fled westbound on Station Road. The same victim later received another call asking for $12,500 to be sent via Federal Express to a location in Georgia. The victim complied. A sketch of the suspect who picked up the money from the victim's home in the area of Station Road and 194th Street was released by police.
Police warn that if you receive a call from a scammer, you should hang up. Call the person who is allegedly in need of the money back and then call police.
Cops want to find the scammer..
If you know anything about the incidents, contact the NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577TIPS or online at CrimeStoppers.com or via Twitter @NYPDTips.
The NYPD says all calls and texts can remain confidential.