Crime Warning Texts Are Scammers, Not Edison Council, Police Say

EDISON, NJ — A new text message scam is making the rounds in Edison, and scammers are pretending to be the town council while lying about crime rates, police warn.

The "robo-texts" claim that there are "78% more robberies" in Edison, and are signed by the Edison Council. They warn that "family heirlooms, money, electronics, female undergarments and even pure-bred family pets have been stolen," and tell residents to not leave children home alone. The goal of the scam texts is to sell new home security systems.

Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan says the claims made in the texts are "completely fake," and is urging residents not to fall for the scam.

"Someone probably thought this would be a clever pitch to sell home security systems. It’s not. It is a crime. They are using lies and deceit to pray on every homeowner’s worse fear. That is despicable," Bryan said.

Anyone with information about the scam, or who is a victim, should call Edison police at 732-248-7400.