Tag:

Western Union

Darien
Police & Fire
Woman Swipes Money Orders Sent From Darien, Forges For Herself, Police Say Woman Swipes Money Orders Sent From Darien, Forges For Herself, Police Say
Woman Swipes Money Orders Sent From Darien, Forges For Herself, Police Say A 31-year-old woman is accused of stealing money orders that were sent from a Fairfield County mailbox and pocketing the money for herself. Julissa Herrera, age 31, of the Bronx, turned herself in to Darien Police on Friday, Nov. 17, on an open warrant. According to investigators, the victim contacted police in July 2023 saying that two of her Western Union money orders had been stolen. She had placed the money orders into a USPS mailbox on Corbin Drive in Darien in April 2023, but later noticed that the funds never showed up in her bank account. The woman eventually learned that the chec…

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by Michael Mashburn
Ulster Sullivan
Police & Fire
Scam Alert: Don't Believe Call From 'Officer Johnson,' Sullivan County Sheriff Says Scam Alert: Don't Believe Call From 'Officer Johnson,' Sullivan County Sheriff Says
Scam Alert: Don't Believe Call From 'Officer Johnson,' Sullivan County Sheriff Says Another phone scam is making the rounds in the region.  This time, this caller is "Officer Johnson," claiming to be from the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office. "Officer Johnson" claims to be from the Sheriff’s Office and tells the victim that there is a warrant that has been issued for the victim’s arrest because they failed to report for jury duty, said Undersheriff Eric Chaboty, of the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office He then advises the victim that they can avoid arrest if they pay a fine over the phone. The victim is then instructed to purchase a prepaid debit card and provide the …

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by Kathy Reakes
Bridgeport
Lifestyle
Tools For Schools Is Back! Tools For Schools Is Back!
Tools For Schools Is Back! It is hard to believe that another school year is right around the corner. At Price Chopper and Market 32, we understand the importance of children having proper school supplies to fuel their education and have donated over $14,600,000 in educational equipment through Tools for Schools. Beginning on Sunday, August 20th, customers can register for Tools for Schools to help their local school earn its share of over $200,000 in educational equipment. How does what I buy help my school when I register for Tools for Schools? By registering your AdvantEdge Card on our rewards site (follow steps …

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Content Partner: Price Chopper
Essex NJ
News
Love At First Site: Ex-NJ Couple, Nigerian Wingman Charged In $4.5M Cyberfootsies Scam Love At First Site: Ex-NJ Couple, Nigerian Wingman Charged In $4.5M Cyberfootsies Scam
Love At First Site: Ex-NJ Couple, Nigerian Wingman Charged In $4.5M Cyberfootsies Scam A former New Jersey couple and a Nigerian national scammed more than 100 lonely hearts out of $4.5 million in an elaborate online romance scheme, federal authorities charged. Martins Inalegwu, 34, of Philadelphia and Steincy Mathieu, 26, of Brooklyn cooked up the plot with Moses Chukwuebuka Alexander and several of his Nigerian brethren, an indictment returned by a federal grand jury alleges. Together, they trolled online dating and social media sites for willing marks, whom they “wooed with words of love” on the phone and in emails, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. T…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Sussex
Police & Fire
NJ Army Vet Who Supported Syrian Terrorist Lover Gets 3 Plea-Bargained Years In Federal Prison NJ Army Vet Who Supported Syrian Terrorist Lover Gets 3 Plea-Bargained Years In Federal Prison
NJ Army Vet Who Supported Syrian Terrorist Lover Gets 3 Plea-Bargained Years In Federal Prison A U.S. Army veteran from Sussex County must spend more than three years in federal prison for deliberately concealing money and guidance she gave to a Syrian terrorist she'd fallen in love with. Because there's no parole in the federal prison system, Maria Bell, 55, must serve out just about all of the plea-bargained 36-month sentence approved by a federal judge in Newark on Tuesday, Jan. 24, Bell, of Hopatcong, offered not only money and military intelligence but the benefit of her experience in specialized weapons training to Syria-based factions fighting the Assad regime, a complaint on…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Atlantic
News
MATCH DOT CON: It's Back To Prison For NJ Serial Dating Scammer Who Escaped Federal Custody MATCH DOT CON: It's Back To Prison For NJ Serial Dating Scammer Who Escaped Federal Custody
Match DOT CON: It's Back To Prison For NJ Serial Dating Scammer Who Escaped Federal Custody A serial dating scammer from Atlantic City who escaped from custody while serving time for conning women throughout the country must spend another 5½ years in federal prison. Patrick Giblin, 58, had already served several years behind bars -- and was months short of freedom -- when he made a break for it in July 2020, authorities said. Giblin bolted while being transitioned to a halfway house in Newark from a federal prison in Lewisburg, PA, to serve out the rest of his sentence for duping multiple women in an online dating scam, they said. It was the second time that he'd escaped federal …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Columbia Greene
News
Beware Of These Summer Rental Scams, NY AG Says Beware Of These Summer Rental Scams, NY AG Says
Beware Of These Summer Rental Scams, NY AG Says With the summer vacation season just around the corner, New York Attorney General Letitia James is warning of possible rental scams. “As millions of New Yorkers plan their getaway trips and look to rent homes, they should be mindful of scammers that misrepresent rentals or list fake homes online that do not actually exist, tricking consumers into paying and leaving them with nowhere to stay,” James’ office said in a statement. She offered several tips for would-be vacationers to avoid falling victim to fraud, including: Verify the host. Make sure the renter or host has a valid address and…

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by Michael Mashburn
Tolland
News
Convicted Sex Offender From Region Admits To Child Pornography Offenses Convicted Sex Offender From Region Admits To Child Pornography Offenses
Convicted Sex Offender From Region Admits To Child Pornography Offenses A convicted sex offender from Western Massachusetts could spend decades in prison after admitting to inducing a minor through social media to engage in sexually explicit conduct, federal officials announced. Franklin County resident Charles Fox, age 46, of Greenfield, pleaded guilty in federal court in Springfield to receipt of child pornography after targeting a minor in the Philippines through Facebook messenger. Fox was indicted in July 2019 on two counts of receipt of child pornography and has been in federal custody since June 2019 before pleading guilty on Monday, Nov. 22. Prosecutor…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Pleasant
News
NY Man Accused Of Murdering Woman In Life Insurance Scheme NY Man Accused Of Murdering Woman In Life Insurance Scheme
NY Man Accused Of Murdering Woman In Life Insurance Scheme A New York man has been charged with an elaborate murder-for-hire scheme taken straight out of a movie script where he killed and dismantled the body of a 26-year-old woman for life insurance benefits, federal officials announced. Queens resident Cory Martin, age 34, was charged in Brooklyn federal court with murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire for his role in the death of 26-year-old Brandy Odom. Previously, Martin was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and fraudulent use of identification relating to an alleged scheme to fraudulen…

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by Zak Failla
Lehigh
Police & Fire
Lehigh County Man Busted In Elder Fraud Sweep Sentenced To 58 Months In Prison Lehigh County Man Busted In Elder Fraud Sweep Sentenced To 58 Months In Prison
Lehigh County Man Busted In Elder Fraud Sweep Sentenced To 58 Months In Prison A Lehigh County man is facing nearly five years in prison for his role in what federal authorities called the largest coordinated elder fraud sweep in the nation. Anthony Redd, 65, of Fullerton, was sentenced Thursday to 58 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for mail fraud and money laundering offenses by U.S. District Judge Sylvia Rambo. He pleaded guilty in the case in September 2020. Redd was also ordered to pay $240,133 in restitution to the victims. There were at least 29 victims of the conspiracy involving Redd, according to The United States Attorne…

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by Nicole Acosta
Atlantic
News
Convicted NJ Serial Dating Scammer Captured After Fleeing Federal Custody Just Short Of Release Convicted NJ Serial Dating Scammer Captured After Fleeing Federal Custody Just Short Of Release
Convicted NJ Serial Dating Scammer Captured After Fleeing Federal Custody Just Short Of Release A serial dating scammer from Atlantic City who conned women throughout the country has been captured after escaping federal custody last summer, authorities announced Monday. Patrick Giblin, 56, was being transitioned from a federal prison in Lewisburg, PA to serve out the rest of a sentence at a halfway house in Newark when he bolted on July 23, 2020, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. Giblin had already served six years for a 2007 wire-fraud scheme when he was sentenced in 2017 to five more years after admitting he duped several women in an online dating scam. He was barely a ye…

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by Jerry DeMarco
South Passaic
News
'Teacup' Yorkie Buyers Beware: Victims In NJ, NY Scammed Out Of Thousands 'Teacup' Yorkie Buyers Beware: Victims In NJ, NY Scammed Out Of Thousands
'Teacup' Yorkie Buyers Beware: Victims In NJ, NY Scammed Out Of Thousands There are so many online ads, sites, groups and pages offering Teacup Yorkies for sale that you rarely know whom to trust -- as victims in New Jersey, New York, Florida and elsewhere just painfully found out. Basil A. Mummery, a Canadian businessman who lives in Ontario, collected thousands of dollars each from eager buyers who responded to his ads on a site called tiny-teacups.com, police in Wayne said. Then he shut it down. Wayne detectives who investigated after a township resident got scammed learned of other victims in several states, including Louisiana and South Carolina. “Victims …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Sussex
News
FBI Nabs Ex-Soldier From Sussex County Charged With Supporting Syrian Terrorists FBI Nabs Ex-Soldier From Sussex County Charged With Supporting Syrian Terrorists
FBI Nabs Ex-Soldier From Sussex County Charged With Supporting Syrian Terrorists FBI agents arrested a Sussex County woman Wednesday and charged her with supporting a Syrian terrorist group. Maria Bell, a 53-year-old former U.S. Army solider and member of the National Guard, provided money and advice to “fighters based in Syria who were members of various factions fighting the Assad regime,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. Bell cited her professional experience in specialized weapons training, offering to provide guidance on operational security issues, weapons purchases and military intelligence, a complaint on file in U.S. District Court in Newark charges. Accord…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Hackensack
Police & Fire
Feds: NJ Couple's Online Dating Scam Costs Those Looking For Love $6 Million Feds: NJ Couple's Online Dating Scam Costs Those Looking For Love $6 Million
Feds: NJ Couple's Online Dating Scam Costs Those Looking For Love $6 Million A married South Jersey couple orchestrated an online dating scam that wooed victims out of more than $6 million, federal authorities said. Martins Friday Inalegwu, 31, and his wife, Steincy Mathieu, 24, both of Burlington County’s Maple Shade, employed several accomplices – many of them living in Nigeria – to romance victims online and then take their money, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Craig Carpenito said. After making initial contact through dating and social media sites with phony identities, the thieves struck up what appeared to be romantic relationships with the victims either throug…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Litchfield
Police & Fire
Don't Fall For It: Victim Loses $1.6K In Facebook COVID-19 Scam, Police Say Don't Fall For It: Victim Loses $1.6K In Facebook COVID-19 Scam, Police Say
Don't Fall For It: Victim Loses $1.6K In Facebook Covid-19 Scam, Police Say Local law enforcement agencies are warning area residents to be wary of a Facebook scam as fraudsters continue exploiting the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. On Sunday, June 14, police investigators in New York received a complaint from a local resident who claimed she was scammed through Facebook. According to police, the victim alleged that she received a private message from a contact on her “friends list” that stated she was stranded out of the country due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The scammer then asked for money to get back to the country. Police said that the victim delivered …

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by Zak Failla
Hackensack
Police & Fire
Western Union Paying $153M In Compensation To Seniors Who Lost Money In Phone Scams Western Union Paying $153M In Compensation To Seniors Who Lost Money In Phone Scams
Western Union Paying $153M In Compensation To Seniors Who Lost Money In Phone Scams Western Union “turned a blind eye” to money transfers made by elderly phone scam victims and is now paying for it to the tune of $153 million to more than 109,000 people in the U.S. and abroad, the Justice Department announced Tuesday. The payment “brings some measure of justice for the elderly and other victims,” Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said. It’s only just a start, though. Before it’s done, Western Union must pony up $586 million, which the government is making available to compensate victims of international consumer …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Sussex
News
Don't Fall For It: Franklin Police Warn Of 'Publishers Clearing House' Scam Don't Fall For It: Franklin Police Warn Of 'Publishers Clearing House' Scam
Don't Fall For It: Franklin Police Warn Of 'Publishers Clearing House' Scam Franklin police are warning the public of a recent phone and mail scam. Several residents have reported receiving a phone call or letter stating that they’ve won the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes, but in order to collect the prize, victims are directed to send money to pay for fees and taxes.  "These types of scams typically direct the victim to send money by Western Union or MoneyGram, or by getting a reloadable card or gift card," Franklin police said. Scammers have also been known to send a realistic-looking check in the mail, which is ultimately found to be fraudulent.&nbs…

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by Cecilia Levine
Nassau
News
Warning Issued For Surge In Online Puppy Scams Warning Issued For Surge In Online Puppy Scams
Warning Issued For Surge In Online Puppy Scams Purchasing a furry friend for the family during the holiday season has always come with risks, but a new report from the Better Business Bureau shows that scams involving online pet purchases are on the rise. The BBB’s Scam Tracker page has reported a surge in entries regarding fake pet and puppy scams for this holiday season. Reports have increased by 39 percent since the BBB released an in-depth investigative study to increase consumer awareness in 2017. More than 16,500 complaints have been received regarding illegitimate sellers and “businesses” selling pets. What’s more alarming are t…

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by Valerie Musson
Suffolk NY
News
Scam Alert: Long Island Residents Being Financially Targeted By Phone, Police Warn Scam Alert: Long Island Residents Being Financially Targeted By Phone, Police Warn
Scam Alert: Long Island Residents Being Financially Targeted By Phone, Police Warn Be wary when picking up the phone, police on Long Island warn, as opportunistic fraudsters have been recently making scam calls in attempts to illicit cash from vulnerable individuals. Police on Long Island said "residents are being financially targeted by individuals who are making false statements on the phone. Callers attempt to manipulate recipients into sending them money by pretending to be legitimate entities.” According to police, examples of phone scams include kidnapped or arrested family members; government agencies; utility companies or potential prize winners. Investigators no…

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by Zak Failla
Fair Lawn-Glen Rock
Police & Fire
$2,650 Cashier’s Check Scam: ‘Job Recipient’ From Glen Rock Avoids Becoming A Victim $2,650 Cashier’s Check Scam: ‘Job Recipient’ From Glen Rock Avoids Becoming A Victim
$2,650 Cashier’s Check Scam: ‘Job Recipient’ From Glen Rock Avoids Becoming A Victim A Glen Rock man who initially thought he’d gotten a job almost got scammed out of $2,650 -- but wisely had the sense to check it out, authorities said. Others haven’t been so fortunate, each losing thousands of dollars to scammers. But he was sharp enough to not become a victim. After an online interview, the purported job candidate was offered employment and sent various documents and a cashier’s check via FedEx, Police Chief Dean Ackermann said Monday. The check was supposed to pay for equipment that the man supposedly needed for the position, the chief said. If he’d cashed the check, t…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Fairfield
News
Man Sentenced For Stealing Bitcoins In Dark Web Phishing Scheme Man Sentenced For Stealing Bitcoins In Dark Web Phishing Scheme
Man Sentenced For Stealing Bitcoins In Dark Web Phishing Scheme An area man will spend time behind bars for fraud and money laundering offenses in connection to a scheme to steal bitcoins in an online phishing scam. Michael Richo, of New Haven, and formerly of Wallingford, has been sentenced in Hartford federal court to a term of 12 months and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of access device fraud and one count of money laundering. Richo admitted to engaging in an online phishing scheme to steal bitcoins from people on the dark web, U.S. Attorney John Durham announced. Richo carried out…

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by Zak Failla
Paramus
Police & Fire
HEADS UP: Paramus Firefighter Whose Truck Was Broken Into Says He Was Followed From Bank HEADS UP: Paramus Firefighter Whose Truck Was Broken Into Says He Was Followed From Bank
Heads UP: Paramus Firefighter Whose Truck Was Broken Into Says He Was Followed From Bank Standing on line at a Western Union in Paramus, a borough volunteer firefighter saw a familiar face: Moments earlier, he’d seen the same man sitting in a suspicious minivan parking outside his bank. Leaving the Stop & Shop on Route 17 after withdrawing money, the 30-year-old firefighter found the passenger-side window of his pickup truck smashed and console compartment open. Gone were reading glasses, a charger and headphones. He was reporting it to a 911 dispatcher when he again saw the same man walking through the parking lot. Spotting the firefighter, the stranger hurried into the …

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by Jerry DeMarco
White Plains
News
Four Charged In White Plains Federal Court With Defrauding Users Of Dating Website Four Charged In White Plains Federal Court With Defrauding Users Of Dating Website
Four Charged In White Plains Federal Court With Defrauding Users Of Dating Website Four suspects are facing federal charges for allegedly engaging in a scheme to dupe their victims into believing that they had sent sexually explicit images to underage children and faced criminal prosecution if they did not pay to avoid involvement by law enforcement.  U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman announced that four suspects from South Carolina have been charged in White Plains federal court with participating in a scheme to defraud users of a dating website. Beginning in August last year, Homeland Security Investigations began investigating several people who reported they had…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Pleasant
News
Urgent Consumer Alert For New Phone Scam Issued By State AG Urgent Consumer Alert For New Phone Scam Issued By State AG
Urgent Consumer Alert For New Phone Scam Issued By State AG New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has issued an urgent consumer alert following a rash of reports of a new scam that is making the rounds, targeting New Yorkers. Schneiderman issued the alert on Thursday afternoon, cautioning consumers that there have been reports of a new scam involving opportunistic fraudsters impersonating the Chinese Consulate, demanding payment for a package or to prevent punishment from the office. According to Schneiderman, his office recently received a report that New York consumers were receiving calls from someone falsely claiming to be a representative…

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by Zak Failla
Hackensack
News
Hackensack Police: Scammed? Here's How To Get Your Money Back Hackensack Police: Scammed? Here's How To Get Your Money Back
Hackensack Police: Scammed? Here's How To Get Your Money Back The Hackensack Police Department is warning the public of scammers. Anyone who may have lost money to a scammer using Western Union between Jan. 1, 2004 and Jan. 19, 2017 can claim to get their money back following the link below. CLICK HERE The deadline to file a claim is May 31, 2018. Contact the Western Union remission administrator at 1-844-319-2124. 

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by Cecilia Levine