Elderly Resident Nearly Scammed Out Of $9K: North Haven Police

NORTH HAVEN, CT — North Haven police helped stop an elderly resident from sending $9,000 to a would-be scammer on Friday morning.

In a warning posted on Facebook, police said they are still seeing phone scams taking place, “particularly ones targeting the elderly population.”

Police shared the following tips for when dealing with these type of phone scams:

How the Scam Works:

The scammer may already know a lot about you or the person they’re pretending to be. They may know your name, where you live, and other information they could have found on social media sites or by hacking a family member’s email. And sometimes they simply guess. But they usually say you have to pay right away by wiring money, sending a money order, or paying with gift cards, reloadable cards, or cryptocurrency.

The scammers usually involve an “authority figure,” like a fake lawyer, bondsman, police officer, or doctor. They think it makes them sound more convincing, and it scares you. They say it’s urgent and that you’re the only one who can help. They tell you it’s important to keep it secret. They tell you that because they don’t want you talking to other family members and friends and realizing it’s a scam.

Scammers play with your emotions. They’re counting on you to act quickly to help your family or friends. And they’re counting on you to pay without stopping to check out whether there’s really an emergency.

If someone calls or sends a message claiming to be a family member or a friend desperate for money, here’s what to do:

Resist the pressure to send money immediately. Hang up.

Then:

Call or message the family member or friend who (supposedly) contacted you. Call them at a phone number that you know is right, not the one someone just used to contact you. Check if they’re really in trouble.

Call someone else in your family or circle of friends, even if the caller said to keep it a secret. Do that especially if you can’t reach the friend or family member who’s supposed to be in trouble. A trusted person can help you figure out whether the story is true.

We know many elderly individuals may not be on social media or follow our page, so we encourage those getting this message with elderly or vulnerable family or friends, to sit down and talk to them about this type of event.