Scammers have been preying on elderly residents on Manhattan's Upper East Side, swindling seniors out of their ATM cards and making off with more than $50,000 over the past two months. According to the Gothamist, two men and a woman are wanted by the NYPD for approaching their victims inside bank branches, offering to aid them at ATMs, and then discreetly stealing their cards.
The first reported incident involved an 87-year-old man who lost $6,000 at a Chase Bank on May 8. Nine other seniors have been targeted, with perpetrators using distraction techniques to execute their scam between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. It was described that the most recent case occurred on June 26, when a 93-year-old woman had $1,500 taken from her at a Citibank branch. Despite the series of thefts, the police have reported no physical harm came to any of the victims.
In another incident, a 71-year-old man became a victim of this ATM scam, having over $6,000 stolen from him. He was occupied by a conversation with one suspect at an ATM on East 90th Street, while an accomplice managed to take his debit card without his notice. Only an hour later did the man realize his card was missing, as reported by the AM New York.
Despite the citywide decrease in grand larceny cases, this particular precinct has seen a 5% increase year-to-date, with more than 770 reported incidents. This troubling uptick on the Upper East Side stands contrary to the larger trend, as citywide thefts have fallen by 7.6% compared to last year. Police are actively seeking any information that could lead to the capture of these scam artists, asking the public to assist by getting in touch through their various outlets, which include a hotline and an online tips portal.
This spree of stealing prompts a serious concern for the safety of the elderly demographic in the area, as they often become easy targets for such exploitation. The suspects have been described by authorities, and surveillance photos have been released in hopes that community members can assist in identifying them. If anyone has information, they are urged to contact NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline or to submit tips via the Crime Stoppers website.
