Crime & Safety

Smoke Detectors Alert Nutley Homeowner About Credit Card Fraud

An unexpected delivery of smoke detectors alerted a Nutley homeowner about a different sort of hazard, police say: credit card fraud.

NUTLEY, NJ — An unexpected delivery of smoke detectors alerted a Nutley homeowner about a different sort of hazard last week, police say: credit card fraud.

According to the Nutley Police Department, officers responded to a home on Bloomfield Avenue on March 14 after getting a report about an incident involving a “suspicious package delivery.”

The homeowner told police that they received a delivery of Nest smoke detectors they didn’t order. As the delivery arrived, a black Hyundai pulled into the driveway with a man in a black-hooded sweatshirt inside.

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When the homeowner asked the man what he was doing there, he replied that he was looking for his friend, "Justin," at a different address. The homeowner pointed out they were at the wrong address and the Hyundai left the scene, traveling south on Bloomfield Avenue, police said.

The homeowner called police, who advised them to check their credit reports for possible fraudulent activity.

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A pair of transactions totaling $5,963 was then discovered on their American Express account, police said.

American Express was contacted and advised of the fraudulent charges, police stated.

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