Fraud In Nutley: Several Scams Reported Last Month, Police Say

NUTLEY, NJ — Several different types of fraud, scams and identity theft were reported in Nutley last month, police say.

The Nutley Police Department recently released details about several fraud reports that took place in the township in February.

Here’s what happened, police said:

Feb. 2 (High Street) – “A resident responded to headquarters on a report of fraud. The resident stated they received an email from an email address unknown to them which stated their account needed to be updated. The email advised that in order to do so, they needed the resident to provide an access code. Once the resident provided the access code, the account was depleted. The detective bureau was notified of the incident.”

Feb. 3 (Howard Place) – “A resident responded to headquarters on a report of fraud. The resident stated they mailed a check to their credit card company. After several days passed without a payment confirmation from their credit card company, they became suspicious. The resident went to the bank where they confirmed the amount and payee name was altered on the check. The detective bureau was advised.”

Feb. 4 (Ridge Road) – “A resident responded to headquarters on a report of fraud. The resident stated they were selling a vehicle and was contacted by a male party that was interested in purchasing the vehicle. The male party mailed a cashier’s check that appeared to have been altered, as the alignment and font irregularities indicated it was fraudulent to the resident. The buyer attempted to arrange for a suspicious set of circumstances to inspect the vehicle which further alerted the resident who in turn cancelled the transaction. The detective bureau was notified of the incident.”

Feb. 8 (Stager Street) – “A resident responded to headquarters on a report of a past-occurred fraud. The resident stated they received a phone call from someone posing as a representative of their bank. The suspect stated that they needed to send a courier to their residence to pick up their debit card which had been compromised. The resident stated upon the courier’s arrival, they took a picture of the car and due to this situation feeling suspicious, they did not give the party the debit card and proceeded to freeze the debit card account. The detective bureau was notified of the incident.”

Feb. 9 (Yantacaw Place) – “A resident responded to headquarters on a report of fraud. The resident stated there were two unauthorized transactions made to their account from an online specialty retail store. The resident denied the opportunity to be entered in as an identity theft victim and the detective bureau was notified of the incident.”

Feb. 10 (Passaic Avenue) – “Officers responded to Passaic Avenue on a report of fraud. The resident stated they never received their prepaid unemployment card in the mail. They contacted the card issuer who stated the card had been activated and two large charges were made to the account. The detective bureau was notified of the incident.”

Feb. 19 (Sunset Drive West) – “A resident responded to headquarters on a report of fraud. The resident stated they have not received a check in the mail that they have been expecting for quite some time. When the resident contacted the company issuing the check, the company stated that it had already been cashed. The detective bureau was notified of the incident.”

Feb. 20 (Passaic Avenue) – “A resident responded to headquarters on a report of fraud. The resident stated that in a series of incidents, they were assaulted and later their phone was stolen by the same individual who had assaulted them. The resident was advised by the bank that there was money transferred from their account to the suspect’s account. The accounts were then frozen and the resident disconnected their phone. The detective bureau was notified of the incident.”

Feb. 24 (Hillside Avenue) – “A resident responded to headquarters on a report of fraud. The resident stated they contacted a realtor from a social media app to inquire about an apartment. The realtor advised the resident to send them the money required for the apartment but once sent, the residents bank froze the account due to fraudulent transactions. The resident was entered as a victim of fraud. The detective bureau was notified of the incident.”

Feb. 27 (Chestnut Street) – “A resident responded to headquarters on a report of fraud. The resident stated they were expecting a check in the mail that was intercepted. The resident provided a copy of the check with an unauthorized signature on the back of it. The detective bureau reviewed the check that appeared to be deposited from a mobile device. The investigation is ongoing.”

Feb. 27 (Chestnut Street) – “A resident responded to headquarters on a report of a fraud. The resident stated they received mail stating they had property in Michigan they can claim, but their name was spelled incorrectly on both inside and outside of the envelope. The letter requested the resident’s full name, social security number, date of birth and a payment option. The resident noticed this was a scam and did not provide the information asked. The detective bureau was notified of the incident.”

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