Police in the Upper East Side are on high alert as they search for a group of thieves who have been targeting seniors in a widespread ATM scam. The trio of criminals has managed to steal at least $70,000 from the bank accounts of trusting elderly individuals in a series of incidents that occurred between May and June.
Surveillance cameras have captured two men and a woman at the scenes of three of these crimes, which took place at various bank locations including Chase Bank, Bank of America, Capital One, and Citibank. The Chase Bank on York Avenue near East 79th Street was targeted multiple times by the scammers, who were able to make off with significant amounts of money.
One of the most notable incidents involved the theft of almost $24,000 from an 86-year-old woman’s bank account at the York Avenue Chase Bank on June 19. In another case, a 90-year-old woman had $20,000 stolen from her account, while an 83-year-old woman lost $3,000 in a separate theft at the same bank on May 14.
In one instance, a 71-year-old man was distracted by one of the scammers while using an ATM at a Chase Bank on East 90th Street. The thief managed to subtly swipe the man’s card without him noticing, resulting in over $6,000 in unauthorized charges on his account.
It is believed that the scammers may have posed as helpful individuals offering assistance to the seniors at the ATMs before carrying out their thefts. The incidents have raised concerns about the safety of elderly individuals when using ATMs, and police are urging the public to remain vigilant.
Overall, there have been over 750 grand larcenies reported in the precinct covering the Upper East Side this year, marking a 5.2% increase from the previous year. Despite the monetary losses suffered by the victims, thankfully, none of the elderly individuals targeted in these scams were physically harmed.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into these incidents and are working to apprehend the suspects responsible for these crimes. In the meantime, it is important for individuals, especially seniors, to exercise caution and be aware of their surroundings when using ATMs to prevent falling victim to similar scams.
