The New Yorkpolice warned of a group of thieves who deceive seniors when they go to withdraw money from an ATM to steal their card and withdraw all the money.
So far, at least 40 complaints have been reported so far this year, the majority of older adults.
“Scammers are watching people when they go to the bank and work in groups of 2 to 4 people. We have noticed up to 10 people involved,” said Carlos Nieves, a spokesman for the NYPD.
According to authorities, the thieves stand behind the victims so they can observe when they enter the PIN into the machine.
Later, they throw a bill on the floor and tell the person that they dropped it.
When the victim bends down to pick up the bill, the scammers take the opportunity to change the card for a fake one.
“The machine makes certain sounds, they are watching when the person enters their code and they throw 20, 40, 100 dollars on the floor. If someone is telling you that you dropped $100 when you still haven’t withdrawn the money, it could be a scam,” Nieves warned.
The sergeant pointed out that the criminals have stolen between $2,000 and $7,000 from each of the victims.
Many of them realize it up to a week later when they try to use the new account card.
“The only way you know something happened is when you go to use the card again and it doesn’t work,” he said.
The authorities issued the following recommendations when using ATMs:
be alert Be alert for suspicious people in the checkout line.
use mirrors ATMs have mirrors to see people behind you.
Do not enter ATMs alone Use ATMs where there are a lot of people.
hide the money Put the quick money in your bag or hide it before you leave the ATM.
Protect your PIN Use your hands to hide your personal identification number when typing it.
Report Report any suspicious activity to the police by calling 911.
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NEW YORK. Every year, thousands of immigrants lose millions of dollars at the hands of unscrupulous people who promise to fix their immigration status, leaving them with no money, and no solution to their immigration process. Before placing your trust, and even your immigration future in someone, learn about the most used scams in these procedures.
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According to the Federal Trade Commission of the United States, immigrants must exercise care when choosing who or how they will process their immigration papers. And give warning about these frauds…
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False lawyers Before entrusting your papers to a ‘specialist’, it is better that you verify that it is not a processor or a notary. In the US, notaries and notaries public are not lawyers. They cannot help you with immigration. They will say that they can help you and ask you to pay them. But they can’t help you.
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Sometimes people posing as lawyers just charge you money and don’t get the results you need, wasting valuable time. Make sure you are dealing with a state registered attorney. For that you can call 311, or visit these sites, where you can confirm it: NY Court System or AILA.ORG
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Fake Immigration Officials You may receive a phone call, email or regular mail from an immigration ‘official’ or ‘office’ that seems legitimate. They could ask you for sensitive information such as your passport number, credit cards or bank information… to ‘help’ you with your immigration process.
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This information is then used to steal identities, establish new credit cards, and access victims’ bank accounts. Never give out that kind of information over the phone.
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Visa Lottery Scams One way to get a Green Card is through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, popularly known as the “visa lottery”. Registration is free and winners are selected at random.
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Many scammers try to trick people into charging them money to enter the visa lottery, promising special access or more chances to win the lottery. But it’s just a robbery.
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Refugee Scams Although refugees have a different legal status than immigrants, they are often victims of scams. For example, scammers tell you that you are eligible for a special government subsidy.
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But, to access said benefit, they must first pay a fee. Another way these scammers operate is by claiming to work for the IRS and asking for the bank account number to deposit the grant money. But the special subsidy does not exist.
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Fraudulent marriages Some people offer to marry immigrants in exchange for a certain amount of money and thus ‘fix their papers’, in exchange for money. But, after collecting the agreed amount, they do not fix anything.
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But there is something else: In the US, fraudulent marriages are a serious crime that carries criminal consequences and penalties for both parties involved in the marriage.
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Employment Agency Scam Employment agency scams involve companies that charge a fee to secure employment for individuals and often also promise them green cards or other immigration sponsorships. Immigrants will pay the fee but get nothing in return.
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If you have been the victim of immigration fraud, you can report it by calling the Attorney General’s Office led by Letitia James. Tel. 1 (800) 771-7755.
