Elderly Bergen Woman Scammed Out Of $22,500: Police

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — An elderly Tenafly woman was swindled out of $22,500 in a phone gift card scam recently, police said.

Police were notified of the scam Tuesday morning by a store clerk who became concerned after the woman tried buying a large amount of GooglePlay gift cards, said Tenafly Police Capt. Michael deMoncada.

The woman was called by someone claiming to be a representative from "Apple technical support," and told her that her computer was hacked and her personal banking information was compromised, deMoncada said.

The scammer convinced the woman to purchase several $500 GooglePlay gift cards to cover the ensuing "investigation," police said.

The scammer called the woman back on several nights and asked for the gift card numbers. The scammer said that more gift cards were needed.

For five days, the victim spent $22,500 on 45, $500 gift cards at various local businesses. The concerned clerk contacted police when the woman could not explain why she needed the gift cards, deMoncada said.

"Unfortunately, these types of scams are becoming more and more common, targeting our more vulnerable populations," deMoncada said. "Most commonly, scammers will try to convince you to pay them to settle a debt, satisfy a warrant, or ensure the safety of a loved one who is in trouble."

The scammers are usually in another country and impossible to find, the captain said. Once the money is transferred to them, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to recover.

Anyone who suspects they may have been targeted or victimized by such a scam should contact their local police department.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com