Shomrim Apprehends Two Scammers After Hours of Teamwork

Description

In a wave of recent scam reports, a positive outcome emerged as Shomrim volunteers, through hours of dedicated effort, worked alongside the NYPD to apprehend two scammers and prevent a community member from losing thousands of dollars. Over the past few weeks, the community has been on high alert due to targeted scams where fraudsters demand money under threats of immediate action if their demands are not met. While some have fallen victim to these schemes, this time, an alert individual contacted Shomrim, prompting swift action to apprehend the perpetrators and send a clear message that such crimes targeting the community will not be tolerated. In this incident, the scammer, posing as a Secret Service agent, contacted the victim around 1:00 p.m., falsely claiming there was fraudulent activity on their account. The scammer threatened the victim with arrest unless they paid $30,000 to resolve the fabricated issue. The victim promptly notified Shomrim, who collaborated closely with the individual over several hours to orchestrate a sting operation. According to Shomrim coordinator Yanky Itzkowitz in an interview with W-365, the plan was to lure the scammers into the open by coordinating a fake money drop. Shomrim volunteers worked diligently to ensure the operation was executed safely and effectively. Shomrim alerted the NYPD, and as soon as the money was handed over, officers moved in, arresting two suspects: a female who collected the money and a male accomplice who acted as the getaway driver, waiting in a vehicle to flee the scene. This successful operation underscores the critical importance of community vigilance and cooperation with law enforcement. Authorities remind residents to never transfer funds to anyone making threats or claiming urgent financial demands, as these are common tactics used by scammers.