Fraud Scam Information

Residents are reminded to be wary of any type of emails, letters, or phone calls from persons not known to you that involves you sending money via Western Union to other locations or addresses, especially international addresses. Scams have occurred whereby the caller or email writer will send you a check for a certain amount of money, asking you to deposit it to your own account then to Western Union monies to them based on that check. Those checks sent to you are fraudulent. You will not realize it until your bank contacts you about that check not being valid.

A scam that has recently been attempted in the Bergen County area involves the "Grandparent" scam. A caller has made multiple calls to elderly victims claiming to be a grandson who has been arrested for DWI in Los Angeles and/or New York City. The scammer attempts to get the victim to wire money to bail him out of jail.

There are numerous scams, frauds and cons perpetrated each day on unsuspecting citizens. These occur here in Bergenfield too. The Bergenfield Police request residents to be aware of the frauds and to watch out for their elderly friends and neighbors too. Senior citizens are often easy targets for the scammers. Speak to your neighbors and make them aware.

Some complaints have been received regarding phone telemarketers soliciting for donations to police organizations. Many of the organizations are legitimate but are not soliciting on behalf of the local police organizations, such as Bergenfield PBA Local 309. If in doubt contact the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs to verify whether the solicitor is registered. If you have a complaint against the solicitor, also lodge that complaint with the Division of Consumer Affairs. See the links below for more information.

New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs

Federal Bureau of Investigation

National Association of Bunco Investigators