Police say a man pretending to be an NYPD employee called a 92-year-old Brooklyn woman on April 8, told her that her daughter had been seriously hurt in a car crash, then showed up at her home and walked out with about $8,000 in cash.
According to investigators, the caller claimed the victim's daughter's medical care would cost about $150,000 and leaned on the woman to hand over money immediately, then fled once he had the cash. Police released a clothing description, saying the man wore a brown sweater, blue vest, gray pants, black sunglasses and multicolored sneakers, and are asking neighbors to help identify him, as reported by News 12.
Police Seek Tips
Detectives are urging anyone with information to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. The program takes anonymous tips and can offer rewards, according to NYPD Crime Stoppers. Authorities say they are treating the Brooklyn incident as part of a broader pattern of impersonation scams popping up across the city.
How the Scam Works
Scammers often pose as police, lawyers or panicked relatives and spin up an emergency, claiming someone needs urgent medical care or legal help and must be paid for right away. The Federal Trade Commission notes that these "family emergency" imposter scams frequently target older adults and typically demand hard-to-trace payments such as wire transfers, gift cards or cash, which makes getting the money back extremely difficult. The agency urges people to pause and verify any emergency story independently before sending money, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Protecting Older Relatives
NYPD crime-prevention guidance warns that impostors may tell victims not to alert other family members and may ask for cash or bank account information on the spot. The department recommends that people verify any supposed emergency using trusted phone numbers and, if something feels off, call police directly. For more details on police-impersonation schemes and how to steer clear of them, see the NYPD's impersonation scam guidance from the NYPD.
Anyone with information about the Brooklyn case is asked to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. Further details on the reported incident are available in coverage from News 12.
