|
State Police Warn of Scammers Targeting the Elderly
in Jefferson and Lewis Counties
Published: June 25, 2025 at
09:55 a.m.
By: Press Release
from New York State Police
State Police warn of scammers targeting the elderly in Jefferson and
Lewis County
State Police are
warning of recent scam activity targeting elderly people in Jefferson and
Lewis County. Scams include someone posing to be a member of law
enforcement conducting a financial investigation and grandparent scams
where someone calls stating they are a lawyer representing your grandchild
and you need to send money. Common themes in these incidents are
urgency and the need for secrecy.
Contact is made
either through a phone call that is either spam, an unrecognized number, or
spoofed to be made to look like it is from a trusted person or family
member, or through a pop-up message on a computer or cell phone. Usually,
a person will be asked to use a text messaging app or another phone number
to continue communications.
People are
reminded that law enforcement does not collect money in any way from the
public. Law enforcement and lawyers do not request money be paid
through gift cards. Do not send cash packaged in magazines and/or
wrapped in foil to anyone. Never turn cash over to an individual that
is being sent to meet you. There is also no need for secrecy from
family members involving financial transactions.
In many cases a
simple check of Google will show that phone numbers are associated with
scams. Addresses used by individuals are sometimes just unoccupied
houses for sale.
Call law
enforcement and the contact people involved to verify what is going
on.
|
