Please be aware of a scam targeting the elderly community in Broward, Dade and Palm Beach Counties. Persons are acquiring banking information, by unknown means, of elderly persons and then using that information to conduct a confidence scam on their elderly victims.
The scam works as follows. Suspect(s) acquire the victim’s banking information and then contacts the victim by telephone, acting as a bank representative. Suspect then advises the victim that the bank account in question has been compromised and a representative of the bank will respond to the victim’s home to retrieve all of the compromised credit cards. While waiting for the suspect representative to arrive, the suspect on the telephone collects as much personally identifying information as possible from the victim. To alleviate concerns of the victim, the suspect representative advises the victim that new credit cards will be delivered a short time later. After the scam is completed, the victim’s credit cards are used until the fraudulent charge activity is noticed by the bank or victim.
There has been one reported victim to this scam in Lighthouse Point, and many others across Broward County and the South Florida area.
You need to be aware that no reputable institution will ask for any personal or banking information over the telephone and they will never send a representative to your home. Contact the Lighthouse Point Police Department at 954-942-8080 if you feel that you are the victim of any confidence scam.
