Residents advised to beware of phone scams

Two elderly residents were recently targeted by scam artists

Two area residents were recently targeted in telephonerelated frauds involving money transfers.

EAST GOSHEN >> In the wake of two recent incidents involving elderly residents who were targeted by scam artists to turn over money in telephone-related frauds, the Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department is reminding residents, especially senior citizens, to be cautious of telephone schemes involving money transfers.

On Feb. 23, an Investigator with PNC Bank contacted the department to report suspicious activity by a 79-year-old resident of East Goshen at the Paoli branch of PNC, according to a press release issued last week.

PNC employees reported that the elderly male entered the bank on Feb. 22 to request three different certified bank checks, each in the amount of $15,000.00 dollars, and payable to a woman in Lubbock, Texas. The individual told the bank teller that he was purchasing a farm in Texas.

The bank officials warned the individual to use caution and urged him to investigate the offer before sending the checks. As a result of the police investigation, it was determined that the three checks were mailed from the UPS Store located in the Gateway Shopping Center in Tredyffrin. Police also learned that all activity involved in this scheme was by telephone calls to the victim’s home phone number.

When police contacted the owner of the UPS Store, he immediately took action through the UPS system to intercept that UPS envelope. UPS officials in Lubbock, Texas were able to alert the UPS driver there just before the package was delivered. Police were able to take possession of these checks, totaling $45,000.00 dollars, and are working to return these checks to the victim.

Then on Thursday, a 62-yearold resident of Thornbury contacted the department to report a telephone scam and that she lost $8,000.00 dollars after receiving a call from a man who she thought was her nephew.

During the first call on Feb. 22, the man told the victim, whose name was not released, that he was driving a friend’s car and was involved in a car accident. When police arrived, drugs were found in the car and the man was arrested. The victim reported that a second man came to the phone and indicated that he was a lawyer with the Public Defender’s Office and that the victim would need to go to the Target Store to purchase two gift cards, each in the amount of $1,000 dollars.

The victim went and obtained the two gift cards and then provided details on the two cards to the individuals over the phone. On the same day, the victim was directed to also send $3,000 dollars cash, concealed in a magazine, via FedEx to an individual in Lancaster.

The victim went to the bank, withdrew $3,000.00 dollars, and packaged the money as directed in a magazine and sent it via FedEx to the Lancaster address. On Feb. 23, another call was received by the victim and she was directed to send another $3,000 dollars cash in another magazine to the same address in Lancaster. The victim followed the direction as directed and went to her bank, removed $3,000 dollars, and then mailed the money in a magazine via FedEx. Police were able to determine that the address was to a FedEx Store.

Police contacted the FedEx store and were successful in intercepting the two FedEx envelopes before they were claimed.

On Friday a department investigator traveled to the FedEx Store and took possession of the two mailings and $6,000 cash. Police are in the process of returning the $6,000 dollars to the victim, but could not recover the $2,000 dollars that were transferred through the two gift cards.

Both cases remain under investigation. These cases are not related and police appreciate the assistance provided by PNC Bank, UPS, FedEx and also the Chester County Department of Aging.

The release stated that police across the county urge residents to not fall for these types of scams and to always verify information before sending funds to anyone. The individuals behind these scams are very convincing and they target older citizens who seem to fall for the claims. Some of the more common scams are the prize offers, travel packages, vitamins and other medication offers, investments, charities and recovery scams.

“Never give personal information, credit card information or bank information to anyone over the telephone,” said Detective Sgt. William Cahill of the WEGO Police Department. “If you receive a call that is suspicious, record the number on caller ID and contact your local police department.”

Additional information about telephone scams is available from the Federal Trade Commission at https://www.ftc.gov/tipsadvice.