East Lyme Police Warn Residents of Summer Scammers

EAST LYME, CT- Police continue to warn residents to be alert for phone scams throughout the summer.

The scammers target the elderly, contacting individuals portraying to be an injured relative, according to a recent post on the department’s Facebook page. They then request money, money orders, or gift cards to be sent to a certain address.

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The Department recently helped an East Lyme resident who had been targeted by a scammer in June and sent a total of $17,500 in cash in two separate incidents. She had also purchased gift cards but had yet to send them.

The victim contacted police once she realized it was a scam looking for help, and an officer coordinated with Atlanta Police Major Fraud Division to intercept $9,000 of the $17,500. She was able to have the money refunded for the purchased gift cards as well.

The department warns residents to be alert when dealing with suspicious actions and requests for money over the phone whether the person claims to be someone you know or not.