Westfield Resident Loses $18K In Fraud Scheme: Police

WESTFIELD, NJ — A resident of Onedia Drive in Westfield was defrauded out of $18,000 last week, according to Westfield Police.

The resident told police that a man contacted him, stating that his grandson needed a bail bond. According to police, the resident then placed $18,000 in cash in multiple envelopes and gave it to the suspect.

Police said the suspect was described as a tall, stocky man wearing a red sweatshirt with a bright colored vest and was wearing a mask with glasses.

Westfield has seen many similar fraudulent incidents in the past, and police have warned residents about scammers.

Read more: Over $520K Bilked From Westfield Residents, Police Warn Of Scams

Westfield Police provided a number of warning signs that indicate a person may be getting scammed:

• No legitimate company or government entity is going to request payment via prepaid credit cards or iTunes gift cards.
• No law enforcement agency is going to contact you via telephone to request payment in lieu of an arrest.

They also provided the following tips:

• Do not provide personal information to anyone over the telephone unless you have verified their legitimacy.
• Do not allow remote access to your computer unless you have verified the company. And if you do allow remote access, do not login to any financial accounts while in the remote session.

Have a news tip? Email remy.samuels@patch.com.