Top LI Phone Scams: What You Need To Know

GLEN COVE, NY — Several phone scams have drawn the attention of the Glen Cove Police Department and they want the public to be aware.

• In the "Nassau County Sheriff Scam," you will receive a call from a person claiming to be a Nassau County Sheriff. The "sheriff" will inform the caller that a warrant will be issued for your arrest due to a failure to appear as a juror for a grand jury proceeding. However, they are told that they can avoid the warrant by paying them, police said.

They will ask for different amounts of money and typically request that you buy some type of gift card and give them the secret pin number of the back.

• "Car Accident Scam" : A person claiming to be an attorney calls to alert you that a family member was driving under the influence, in a car accident and was arrested. The scammer points out that the accident involved a pregnant woman or some serious injury. Money is requested for lawyer fees to keep the family member out of jail. In this scam, the caller may direct you to meet a representative at an outdoor location so they can collect the cash, police said.
• "Intimate Relation Scam" In this online scam, the victim is led to be believe it's the start of an intimate relationship. The scammer coerces, tricks or requests that the victim send them intimate photos of themselves. Once those pictures are sent, the scammer will demand money, usually in the form of gift cards from the victim. If the money isn’t sent, they will threaten to release those intimate photos to the victim’s online contact list.

"In each of the above incidences, the scammers can be very convincing and try to make you act quickly without thinking or allowing you to go over the matter with a family member or friend," Glen Cove Police Det. Lt. John Nagle said. "Please remember that if something appears too good to be true it probably is."

Nagle said victims should discuss with a family member or friend before acting, as the chances of getting money back are "slim."