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.
“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.
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.
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.
Use an ATM? Thieves are lurking in bank vestibules working to steal from you!
— NYPD 19th Precinct (@NYPD19Pct) March 26, 2023
They place money on the ground & claim you dropped it, while you pick it up they grab your debit card or pickpocket you & use your PIN/card to withdraw your money later. Call 911 if you observe this ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/thHhv4nS6e
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.
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.
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.
Same crap different day. Had hoped that this mayor being a former cop would clean up the
city. We need another Guiliani administration.
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!