Newark Police Warn Residents of Phone Scam

Information released via Newark Police Nixle Alerts:

In a very recent incident, a Newark resident received a call from a person claiming to be a representative of “Law Enforcement Systems,” a collection agency. The person identified herself as “Tanisha” and told the potential victim her transponder was invalid. The caller told the would-be target that the amount owed was minimal and a debit or credit card number was needed to reactivate the account.

The resident wisely declined to provide the information. The scam artist persisted telling her she could send a check or money order to an address in Wisconsin if she felt uncomfortable with providing the information over the telephone. There was no mention of the transponder belonging to FasTrak or any bridge or toll road fees.

The potential victim ended the call and later confirmed her account with FasTrak was not compromised nor did she owe fees.

Remember: If you get a call from someone you don’t know who is trying to sell you something you hadn’t planned to buy, say “No thanks.” And, if they pressure you about giving up personal information — like your credit card or Social Security number — it’s likely a scam. Hang up!

Editor’s note: According to the FasTrak website, a phishing email has been recently discovered asking drivers for unpaid tolls. Read more here.

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