Town of New Hartford NEW YORK

TOWN of NEW HARTFORD

ONEIDA COUNTY

NEW HARTFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT

32 KELLOGG ROAD, NEW HARTFORD, NEW YORK 13413-2850

 Telephone: 1-315-733-6666

Fax: 1-315-724-8618

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August 22, 2009

Phone Scam Reported

The New Hartford Police Department has been made aware of a telephone scam targeting the elderly in our area. The perpetrators first call to determine the age of the victim by asking for the listed name in the phone book or using the Worrld Wide Web online directories. When told that the person is deceased, the perpetrator(s) then assume that the victim who answered the phone is an elderly person. They disconnect the call and then call again a while later, posing as a grandchild in need of money, usually because of some type of accident. In the most recent incident, the perpetrator posing as the grandchild told the elderly person that he was in an accident and that he was being detained until bail is posted. A second perpetrator posing over the phone as a Police Officer relays the same message stated by the posing grandchild to convince the victim and give some credibility to the scam. The perpetrator(s) deceives another by developing a story that the victim is most vulnerable by using accidents, arrests, debts and charities compelling them to wire money.

Please do not give your personal information out over the phone, such as social security number, Date of Birth, Children’s names, Mother’s Maiden name, email addresses and Bank Account information. For more information, logon onto the Town of New Hartford Website, and review the topics “Tools for Preventing Identity Theft” and “What to Do to Recover From I.D. Theft.” http://www.newhartfordtown.com/NHPDidtheftlionks.htm 

For more information please contact your Local Police Agency and refer to you local yellowpages for Call Trace Services Options.

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