A 69-year-old man fell victim to thieves while using an Upper East Side bank ATM | Upper East Site, NYPD
A 69-year-old man fell victim to thieves while using an Upper East Side bank ATM | Upper East Site, NYPD

Senior Citizen Victimized at UES Bank Targeted by Citywide ATM Scam: NYPD

Police are warning the public about a new scam targeting senior citizens while they’re using ATMs to withdraw cash at branches of a specific bank with locations across New York City — including right here on the Upper East Side — where one of the elderly victims fell for the ruse and had their bank account drained of big bucks.

The suspects have struck at least 15 times in Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens, always following the same M.O. — approaching the victim after they’ve seen them put in their PIN into the machine.

The suspects are seen in surveillance images wearing surgical masks and hats | NYPD
The suspects are seen in surveillance images wearing surgical masks and hats | NYPD

“Individuals are going up to the ATM, putting their card in and all of a sudden somebody throws money on the ground,” explained Deputy Inspector Bill Gallagher, commanding officer of the NYPD’s 19th Precinct on the Upper East Side, “That person gets tapped on the shoulder and says [to the victim] ‘hey, you dropped money on the ground.’

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Police say that when the victim turns to pick up what is usually a high-value note —  like a $50 bill — dropped on the floor, a second suspect springs into action, carrying out the carefully coordinated routine.

They will swap out their debit card for a dummy card, deceiving grandmas and grandpas in order to steal their Social Security money to the tune of nearly $78,000 in just two months, police say.

The 69-year-old's debit card was stolen while using an ATM inside the Citibank at 1512 First Avenue | Upper East Site
The 69-year-old’s debit card was stolen while using an ATM inside the Citibank at 1512 First Avenue | Upper East Site

Back on Saturday, March 12th, a 69-year-old man was targeted in the middle of the day while using an ATM at the Citibank branch located at 1512 First Avenue, at the corner of East 79th Street on the Upper East Side.

Using their deception scam, thieves made off with the man’s debit card and along with the PIN they had watched him punch-in were able to withdraw $1,200 from his account. Police say the 69-year-old, like the rest of the victims, had no idea they had been conned until they saw the money missing from their accounts.

A victim whose debit card was stolen from this UES Citibank branch had  $1,200 taken | Upper East Site
A victim whose debit card was stolen from this UES Citibank branch had $1,200 taken | Upper East Site

The Upper East Side victim was one of the lucky ones. Other seniors had thousands more taken. In the case of one man in Queens last February, thieves funneled $21,000 out his bank account.

Police released surveillance images taken of the suspects in three of the crimes that occurred in Queens, however, all three of the men seen are wearing hats and surgical masks to conceal their identity.

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In fact, investigators are not sure at this point whether it is the same pair of suspects behind all the crimes, or whether it is several people or different groups using the same criminal routine.

Investigators aren't sure whether it is the same suspects in all 15 crimes | NYPD
Investigators aren’t sure whether it is the same suspects in all 15 crimes | NYPD

If you recognize the suspects or have any information that could help investigators, you’re asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-8477.

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4 Comments

  1. We are so lucky to be living in NYC. True, not a perfect place, nothing is ever 100%. I can’t think of a better place in the USA. Thankfully, no mass shoutings, and until the economy improves we will see desperate people on our streets. And, I can’t believe that anyone would wish that Giuliani was our mayor. He’d probably want to arm citizens.

  2. Same crap different day. Had hoped that this mayor being a former cop would clean up the
    city. We need another Guiliani administration.

  3. Every day the do nothing mayor and says the same things at every press conference commissioner say that crime is down. What city are they running – Mayberry?

    • The current mayor is perhaps the most corrupt in a century (since the most corrupt mayor Jimmy Walker during the “Jazz Age”). This guy holds court every night at his favorite upscale restaurant where he doles out political favors in return for monetary contributions to his next corrupt campaign. We have been “blessed” in our “greatest city in the world” by a succession of crooks, but it is our own fault in drinking the kool-aid and voting for them over and over again. You have the “democracy” that you deserve!

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