Phone Scams Continue in Ocean, Police Warn

Barnegat Township isn't the only Shore town where phone scammers are targeting the elderly, police have warned.

A recent wave of fraudulent phone calls resulted in the theft of tens of thousands from Toms River residents, and late last week, the Brick Township Police Department announced people there are also reporting scams. 

Earlier this month, Barnegat police said a number of senior citizens had fallen victim to similar scams, which often targeted grandparents. 

The scam typically involves either a claim that the victim's grandchild is in trouble and needs money or that the grandchild is in jail and needs to make bail, police said. The scammer sometimes impersonates the grandchild, they said, or might claim to be a foreign government official.

The scam usually culminates in a request for the victim to wire money to the caller through Western Union or another service. 

Brick Police Capt. John Rein said all of the calls reported to his department appear to have been originating from Canada. In a recent case, a Brick resident was scammed out of several thousand dollars before calling police.

"Residents are advised to be cautious of calls of this nature and to never provide any personal information to the caller nor send any money," Rein said. "Residents should make every attempt to verify the authenticity of the caller if it is alleged to be from a relative."

Barnegat police offered the following tips to avoid becoming a scam victim:

• If you receive a call, remain calm and get as much information as possible. If the caller claims to be a family member or loved one, ask him/her to confirm your or his/her middle name or some other piece of personal information.

• Do not volunteer names of family members or friends.

• If the caller claims to be calling about a loved one who was involved in an accident, ask the caller for his/her name, title, and agency. Call directory assistance in the city the person claims to be calling from and call the correct number to confirm the story. Do not call a number provided by the caller.

• Do not wire money until you confirm your loved one is really in need.

• If you are unsure if the call is legitimate, contact the Barnegat Police Department at 609-698-5000 and request assistance.