Nutley Police Help Clifton Woman Avoid $40,000 Phone Scam

NUTLEY, NJ — Nutley police prevented a $40,000 phone scam from taking place Monday after a Clifton woman walked into a local bank and asked for help, authorities said.

According to the Nutley Police Department, a 75-year-old Clifton woman handed the bank teller a note, which said she was “being held hostage” and requested police aid.

When officers arrived, they found the 75-year-old Clifton woman on the phone with a man who claimed he was a law enforcement officer. The man told the woman he was investigating fraudulent activity on her account. She was told to stay on the call with him while she withdrew $40,000 to transfer into a “secure” account that he could access, authorities said.

Nutley officers quickly intercepted the call and severed communications between the woman and the fraudster. Fortunately, she was able to redeposit the funds without any loss, police said.

Police Director Alphonse Petracco commended the woman for recognizing something was amiss and alerting authorities.

Police Chief Thomas Strumolo said the incident is an example of a common scam, where the caller pretends to be a reputable firm or agency acting in the best interest of the victim. They then access the money either through wire transfer or gift cards – and sometimes in person, he said.

According to Strumolo, the call on Monday – and many others like it – can’t be traced because the fraudsters use unidentifiable phones and computers to place them.

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