5 Instances Of Fraud, Scams Reported In Glen Rock Last Week

GLEN ROCK, NJ — Fraudulent unemployment claims have been a continuous issue for the Glen Rock Police Department since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, but that was just one of the issues facing residents last week.

Glen Rock police reported five instances of either fraud or scams from Sept. 27 to Sept. 29.

One resident reported that a fraudulent unemployment claim had been filed in their name, and the "detective bureau continues to receive ongoing complaints of this nature and is working with the NJ Division of Criminal Justice which is the lead investigating agency on fraudulent unemployment claims being filed throughout the state."

In other instances, residents reported thousands of dollars lost.

On Sept. 28, a resident reported receiving a telephone call "from a purported representative of Valley National Bank," with an identification of ‘VBN’ appearing on her caller ID. The caller claimed that fraud was detected on her account, and requested personal information like a username and password, as well as a routing number.

It was later determined that more than $3,000 was transferred out of one of her accounts. Police have notified the banks involved, and the detective bureau is "reviewing the matter."

On Sept. 29, a resident reported that she was notified by her bank that a fraudulent check deposit into their bank account worth $3,500 was not honored. According to police, the resident was also recently the victim of identity theft in New York State, which is currently being investigated by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department.

The Glen Rock Detective Bureau is also investigating this matter.

Also reported last week:

Sept. 30, 10:17 a.m.:

"A Glen Rock resident reported receiving a call from a purported social security representative claiming that the resident’s social security number had been involved in criminal activity in Texas. The caller convinced the resident to provide her date of birth and the last four digits of her social security number. After providing the information the resident suspected that they were the victim of a scam.

The social security administration does not make calls of this nature. If there is a problem, they will mail you a letter. Generally, their legitimate representatives will only contact you if you have requested a call or have ongoing business with them."

Sept. 30, 2:52 p.m.:

"A Glen Rock resident reported detecting a fraudulent purchase on their credit card. A MacBook Pro was purchased for $ 1,376.94 and shipped to an address in Maryland. The credit card company was notified, and the account was frozen. The matter is currently being reviewed by the detective bureau."