After Rampant Fraud, Newtown Police Call For Vigilance

NEWTOWN, PA — The Newtown Township Police Department responded to multiple incidents this week, most pertaining to fraud.

Police asked residents to be vigilant against these scams, which lost residents upwards of $1,000 total between Jan. 7 and Jan. 13.

Read the details of their report:

Friday, Jan. 7

1:30 p.m. — A Newtown Township resident contacted police to report fraud. He received messages about his Amazon account being hacked, and when he called the provided phone number, he spoke to someone who identified themselves as an Amazon employee. They instructed him to buy two $500 gift cards and to provide them with the card numbers and pin. After he provided them with the information, he realized it was a scam.

4:30 p.m. — Police were dispatched to do a wellbeing check on a driver slumped over in a white Jeep off the side of the road. After investigating, officers discovered suspected heroin and drug paraphernalia and seized them as evidence. Police charged the driver with possession and took the person into custody.

Monday, Jan. 10

12:30 p.m. — A Newtown Township resident contacted police to report a stolen credit card and fraudulent charges on his account. The investigation is ongoing at this time.

Tuesday, Jan. 11

11:15 a.m. — A Newtown Township resident contacted police to report a fraud. When she was resetting her Samsung TV and Amazon account, she contacted someone who told her she needed to upgrade her Amazon account to Platinum. She paid approximately $350 for the upgrade with her PayPal account before realizing it was a scam.

1 p.m. — A Wrightstown Township resident contacted police to report a fraud. She said that someone posing as an Amazon employee contacted her and claimed an iPhone 13 was fraudulently purchased on her account. To get a refund, the resident was instructed to download an app called PayBis (a platform for cryptocurrency where Bitcoin can be purchased) and to create an account. She was further instructed to send screenshots of her driver’s license and credit card. When she didn’t receive a refund, she realized it was a scam.

1:45 p.m. — A Newtown Township resident contacted police to report a fraud. She explained that she had applied for a loan to purchase a car on several websites. She then received a phone call from someone who claimed to work for a bank. Money was transferred into her account, and she was instructed to purchase a series of gift cards. After she purchased the gift cards, she realized she was scammed.

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