Be on the Lookout for Scammers Targeting Middletown Residents

Three types of scams have surfaced recently in Middletown, according to police, that residents should to be aware of — involving electric bills, child care and "friends" on social media.

A person posing as a CL&P representative called a local business telling them if they did not pay their electric bill the power would be shut off. The caller I.D. came up as CL&P but when the number was called back it came back to a Majic Jack telephone number.  

The person posing as the representative advised the business manager to pay with MoneyPak Cards.  

MoneyPak cards are purchased at a store and then you scratch off the number on the back to reveal the code to transfer the money to another account.   

CL&P and other Connecticut utilities have received numerous complaints about this type of scam from customers throughout Connecticut. 

Middletown Police offer the following advice:

• To avoid being a victim to this type of crime, do not give out any personal information over the phone. If the person is requesting payment tell them you will call back to make a payment and then call back the telephone number listed on your bill not a telephone number that they give you.

In another instance of fraud, a woman who visited care.com, a website that matches parents seeking child care with a babysitter, was contacted by a woman to babysit her child. The woman caller had been given the mother’s name, address and picture.  

Soon after, police say, a check arrived in the mail made out to the citizen for a large sum of money and bank personnel confirmed the check was fraudulent. Authorities is believed the two incidents are related.

To avoid being a victim of this type of scam: 

• Do not giving out your personal information over the Internet. Checks received in the mail that appear suspicious should not be cashed without checking with a bank to make sure it is legitimate.

Another Middletown resident developed a friendship with someone through Facebook, according to police, and the "friend" requested the victim send money to a son in Nigeria. Shortly after that conversation, police say, a check arrived in the mail in the person’s name and bank staff confirmed the check was fraudulent. 

To avoid any risk of a scam, Middletown Police say:

• Do not cash a check and send money to anyone that you do not know personally, including "friends" on a social media site. If you receive a check in the mail, confirm with your bank that the check is real before attempting to cash it.

The second two victims didn't lose money, police say, because they did not cash the checks. Many of these types of scams originate from outside the United States, which makes it nearly impossible to locate suspects. 

Anyone who suspects they are being targeted should contact Middletown Police at (860) 638-4000.

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