We recently reported about an August 23 incident in which an elderly lady was scammed out of $9,500 by a person pretending to be her grandson.
Police have now announced that a similar incident has taken place, not only in the same neighborhood but on the same block – just a few avenues away – and for the same amount.
According to NYPD officials, someone called a 74-year-old man on Friday, September 15 at about 12:30 p.m. and told him “his son was under arrest and he could not contact him.” This story was fabricated; the victim’s son was never under arrest.
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The caller told the victim “he needed to pay bail” and convinced the man to fork over $9,500 on 62nd and Riverside Boulevard. (The first incident took place on 62nd and Columbus Ave.)
Police obtained photos depicting the person who came to pick up the $9,500 and the car he used.
This scam appears to be happening around the country. In April, a very similar incident was reported in Pennsylvania, where the victim was 78 and the amount stolen was $9,500. Eerily similar scams have also been reported in Naperville, Illinois; Boston, MA; and in Bath, Maine.
Anyone with relevant information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or by sending a direct message to @NYPDTips on Twitter.
If it’s a few avenues away, it’s not the same block.
Since when is a 74-year old considered “elderly”?!
Since forever.
Well, you have his license plate photo of the thief and the car he’s driving. Why are the police asking for help?