Westchester Telephone Scam Targets Seniors
Rye Police Department
The Rye Police report some of the area’s most vulnerable homeowners are part of a widening telephone solicitation scam.
Without naming any victims, police say several recent incidents of callers asking elderly people to wire money to a relative in a foreign country have been reported in the county, with one, possibly more of the calls, received in Rye.
“Typically, the caller will claim that the victim’s son or grandson has been traveling overseas and has been involved in an accident or has been kidnapped, and needs money for ransom or to avoid being jailed,” a Rye PD spokesman said.
The money is wired, and it’s gone.
Residents should always report any anonymous request for money, police say.
In this economy it seems as though predators are coming out in force. Financial crimes are undoubtedly going to rise as people become more and more desperate.
Seniors should beware of these con artists. Don’t be so trusting. Try to keep an open line of communication with your family and designate a code that only you and your loved-ones know to try to avoid being scammed. Don’t be afraid to use your caller-id.
Also, never provide information about yourself or others via telephone because it is a surefire way to have your information stolen. “Shirley”, a resident at Sarah Neuman Center recalls receiving a series of phone calls in August from a young man who identified himself as her grandson. “He would call every morning and tell me he was on his way… I went upstairs to see him but no one was there. This was a very disturbing experience for me,” she recalls. “It taught me a very important lesson because if it can happen to me it can happen to you.”