Brentwood, NY
News
Facebook Privacy Breach To Be Probed By New York Attorney General Facebook Privacy Breach To Be Probed By New York Attorney General
Facebook Privacy Breach To Be Probed By New York Attorney General Facebook isn’t getting any new likes from New York Attorney General Letitia James. James announced on Thursday, April 25 that her office was launching an investigation into Facebook’s unauthorized collection of 1.5 million Facebook users’ email contact databases. According to James, “while Facebook claims that 1.5 million contact databases were directly harvested by its email password verification process for new users, the total number of people whose information was improperly obtained may be hundreds of millions.” “It is time Facebook is held accountable for how it handles consumers' …

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by Zak Failla
Armonk, NY
Business
FTC/FDA Issue An Alert For Misleading Medical Ads, Claims FTC/FDA Issue An Alert For Misleading Medical Ads, Claims
FTC/FDA Issue An Alert For Misleading Medical Ads, Claims Health officials are warning consumers of misleading advertisements for products that claim to treat or prevent serious health conditions. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that they issued warning letters to certain companies. The FTC and FDA said that those companies make unfounded claims that their products can treat or cure Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions. Letters were sent to  Gold Crown Natural Products, TEK Naturals, and Pure Nootropics, LLC. They were sent out Tuesday, Feb. 5. “Unfortunately, these products o…

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by Zak Failla
Armonk, NY
News
Beware Of Phantom Debt Collectors, FTC Warns Beware Of Phantom Debt Collectors, FTC Warns
Beware Of Phantom Debt Collectors, FTC Warns The Federal Trade Commission is warning area residents to be wary of phantom debt collectors after taking down an elaborate group of schemers that stole millions. The FTC announced that they have filed a lawsuit against Global Asset Financial Services Group (GAFS) and 15 other related companies that allegedly operated a fake debt collection scheme. The complaint alleges that employees claimed to be lawyers or affiliated with a law firm in an attempt to collect non-existent debts. The scheme involved GAFS employees in New York and North Carolina calling to collect the faux debt, posing as a …

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by Zak Failla
Saddle Brook-Elmwood Park, NJ
Police & Fire
BEWARE: 'Grandson In Trouble' Phone Scam Costs Elderly Saddle Brook Woman $7,500 BEWARE: 'Grandson In Trouble' Phone Scam Costs Elderly Saddle Brook Woman $7,500
Beware: 'Grandson In Trouble' Phone Scam Costs Elderly Saddle Brook Woman $7,500 Heartless phone scammers stole $7,500 from a frightened Saddle Brook woman who was fooled into thinking her grandson had just been arrested after an accident. They tried getting $7,300 more from her – only she was at the borough police station at the time reporting the first crime. The first caller told the victim on Tuesday that he’d been arrested for DWI after he rear-ended a pregnant woman’s car, Police Chief Robert Kugler said. “He also said he broke his nose and cut his lip, requiring stitches, had just been released from the hospital and was in custody of the police,” Kugler said. “…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Harrison, NY
News
Stolen Mail Can Lead To ID Theft, Westchester DA Warns Stolen Mail Can Lead To ID Theft, Westchester DA Warns
Stolen Mail Can Lead To ID Theft, Westchester DA Warns In the wake of several instances involving stolen mail in the area, officials in Westchester are offering advice to residents to avoid becoming the victim of opportunistic fraudsters.  Last year, police in Yonkers, Mount Vernon, White Plains, Tarrytown, Harrison, Purchase, Bronxville, New Rochelle, North Castle and other communities investigated incidents involving mail thefts. The incidents include curbside mailboxes that were broken into or opened with stolen keys or outright stolen. Thieves have also used “fishing” techniques to take mail from mailboxes, and “rural-style” mailboxes …

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by Zak Failla
Mount Pleasant, NY
News
Don't Fall For It: This Social Security Number Scam Has Cost 35K Victims $10 Million, FTC Says Don't Fall For It: This Social Security Number Scam Has Cost 35K Victims $10 Million, FTC Says
Don't Fall For It: This Social Security Number Scam Has Cost 35K Victims $10 Million, FTC Says A consumer alert has been issued about a new phone scam that has already cost tens of thousands of victims millions. Imposters pretending to be from the Social Security Administration call victims and tell a fake story about their Social Security number being compromised in an attempt to obtain personal information, according to the Federal Trade Commission.  In 2018, the scam cost 35,000 victims $10 million. “To compare: in 2017, we heard from 3,200 people about SSA imposter scams, and those people reported losing nearly $210,000,” the FTC said in a statement. Th…

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by Joe Lombardi
Fairfield, CT
Police & Fire
Scam Alert: Calls Tell Businesses, Consumers They're Behind On Bills Scam Alert: Calls Tell Businesses, Consumers They're Behind On Bills
Scam Alert: Calls Tell Businesses, Consumers They're Behind On Bills Opportunistic fraudsters have been making the rounds in Fairfield County, posing as utility workers threatening to turn the lights off at local businesses. The Shelton Police Department issued an alert, cautioning that local businesses have recently been targeted by scammers calling and pretending to be from United Illuminating. The businesses are told that they are behind on their electric bills and that the power will be shut off immediately unless a payment is made. “It’s an old swindle with some new twists,” officials from the utility company stated. “Caller ID may show the call is comi…

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by Zak Failla
Stamford, CT
News
Scam Alert: Beware Of Card Skimming At The Gas Pump Scam Alert: Beware Of Card Skimming At The Gas Pump
Scam Alert: Beware Of Card Skimming At The Gas Pump With Thanksgiving weekend and December holiday travel coming, a new warning has been issued about skimming scams at the pump. Skimmers are illegal card readers attached to payment terminals. These card readers grab data off a credit or debit card’s magnetic stripe without your knowledge. Criminals sell the stolen data or use it to buy things online. You won’t know your information has been stolen until you get your statement or an overdraft notice. While your eyes are on the road, scammers' eyes are on your wallet. Here are a few tips from the Federal Trade Commission to help you avoid a s…

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by Joe Lombardi
Hackensack, NJ
Neighbors
Want To Donate To Victims Of Hurricane Florence? Here's How Want To Donate To Victims Of Hurricane Florence? Here's How
Want To Donate To Victims Of Hurricane Florence? Here's How As experts warn of damage that could be worse than from Katrina, administrators of one of the area's largest Facebook groups have compiled a list of Hurricane Florence relief organizations. The list in the Bergen County-based Northern New Jersey All Incidents group will be updated, as needed, co-administrator James Bohan said Thursday. “All organizations are, to the best of our knowledge, reputable,” Bohan said. “We encourage everyone to follow their conscience when donating. Unless otherwise specified, what relief organizations need most right now is money,” he added. Unsolicited, physic…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Armonk, NY
Lifestyle
Police In Westchester Caution Of Phone Scam Involving Apple Gift Cards Police In Westchester Caution Of Phone Scam Involving Apple Gift Cards
Police In Westchester Caution Of Phone Scam Involving Apple Gift Cards Police are making the public aware involving a scammer posing as a member of the Department of Justice regarding a recent scam that is targeting local residents. The Eastchester Police Department issued an alert recently about a new phone scam making the rounds in the area, following reports from area residents who have been targeted. During the phone calls, police said that the victims were told that the caller was a representative from the Department of Justice, including a false name and badge number. Police said that the caller stated that the victim's social security number had been st…

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by Zak Failla
Mahopac, NY
News
Alert Issued For NYSEG Phone Scam Alert Issued For NYSEG Phone Scam
Alert Issued For Nyseg Phone Scam The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office is cautioning area residents to be wary of a NYSEG “Green Dot Money Paks” phone scam that makes the rounds annually each summer. For several years, during the dog days of summer, local businesses in Putnam County have reportedly received phone calls from scammers who claim to be representatives from NYSEG. The fraudster tells the caller that the business is behind in their electric bills. Sheriff Robert Langley, Jr. said that the scammers then “warns the business that to avoid having their electric service from being shut off, they have to make payment imm…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Pleasant, NY
News
FBI Issues Alert On Imposter Scam Phone Calls FBI Issues Alert On Imposter Scam Phone Calls
FBI Issues Alert On Imposter Scam Phone Calls The FBI and U.S. Marshals Service are warning Americans to be on alert following a recent rash of phony phone calls from opportunistic fraudsters. National law enforcement agencies issued an alert warning of several recent reports of imposter scams involving individuals claiming to be U.S. marshals, court officers, or other law enforcement officials. During the calls, officials said that scammers attempt to collect a fine in lieu of arrest for failing to report for jury duty or various other offenses. They then tell victims they can avoid arrest by purchasing a prepaid debit card and read t…

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by Zak Failla