Nutley Grandma Scammed By People Posing As Her Granddaughter: PD

NUTLEY, NJ — A pair of North Jersey residents were arrested after they recently tried to bilk a Nutley grandmother out of several thousand dollars by posing as her granddaughter, police say.

Police Director Alphonse Petracco and Police Chief Thomas Strumolo issued a joint statement announcing the arrest of two people in connection with a “scam perpetrated against a Nutley woman.”

Petracco and Strumolo said:

“On Thursday, Aug. 19, a 62-year-old Nutley woman received a phone call from a young woman claiming to be her granddaughter. She told her grandmother she had just been involved in an accident and that her attorney will be contacting her. After a few minutes, a man she believed to be her granddaughter’s attorney contacted her. He said that bail needed to be posted or her granddaughter will be incarcerated. In a state of panic, the woman withdrew several thousand dollars, and met who she believed to be a bail bondsman at a Passaic Avenue convenience store in Nutley. She told police he was wearing a suit, took the money and handed her a receipt.”

Authorities continued:

“On Friday, upon speaking with her granddaughter, she realized she had been scammed and her granddaughter never involved in an accident, which is when she reported it to police. This same day, she received another call from same actor, requesting more money to be paid at the same location. This time, Nutley police detectives were in the area and arrested two men – one that was identified as the same actor as yesterday.”

Kevin Villalona, 21, and Juan Cleto-Diaz, 22, both of Passaic, were charged with conspiracy. Villalona was also charged with theft by deception.

Both were later released pending a court date, police said.

Strumolo said the alleged scam is popular because some grandparents may hear a “troubled voice” and can’t determine if it is actually their relative.

Petracco commended the officers for the apprehension. He also recommended that local residents check with family or police before providing personal information, withdrawing money or sending funds if someone contacts them with a similar request.

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