Crime & Safety
Suffolk Cops: Phone Scam Ensnares Locals
County issues fresh warnings after five people in the past 24 hours are hit by a scam involving a caller convincing people to wire money to a family member in danger.
A months-old phone scam where callers convince locals that they need to wire money to a family member in need was recorded five times in the last 24 hours, prompting Suffolk County Police to issue a fresh warning about the racket.
"In one scenario, the caller claims that they have just been in a motor vehicle crash with a relative of the victim who refuses to pay for the damage," Suffolk police said in a statement. "Other scenarios may include the caller claiming a family member of the victim has been arrested and needs money for bail, or a family member owes someone money. The victim is asked to withdraw money from an ATM and the caller will guide them to an institution where they can wire money."
Though police have issued warnings about this scam since November 2012, similar schemes have been reported in the past few years.
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If you receive a similar call, call the police immediately.
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