Mount Vernon Scam Alert: Offering 'Loans' To Steal Personal Info

MOUNT VERNON, NY — Mount Vernon police are investigating a fake Instagram account that tries to victimize residents while impersonating Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard.

The account has sent out several personal messages offering fake government loans, and trying to con residents into responding to a text number with a 254 area code and providing personal information.

City officials urged residents to use caution and refrain from releasing any personal information on social media.

Here are the official City of Mount Vernon social media pages:

Instagram: @Mountvernony @MayorSPH

Facebook: @CMVNY @MayorSPH

Twitter: @CMVNY @MayorSPH

"These types of scams and fake page accounts have been prevalent for years within Mount Vernon," the mayor said. "I urge residents to report any page that attempts to deliberately defraud, scam and misinform the residents of Mount Vernon. It is a great shame that someone would try to pull a stunt like this on our residents during the height of a global pandemic. We will be looking to use every resource available to bring these bad actors to light."

The Mount Vernon Police Department has been notified and will investigate any criminal acts regarding this fake page scam on Instagram.

The U.S. Justice Department warns that several scams are circulating that use the coronavirus pandemic to find victims. Find out more about types of scams.

If you think you are a victim of a scam or attempted fraud involving COVID-19, you can report it without leaving your home by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.