In recent two months, a series of ATM fraud crimes targeting elderly residents in Manhattan’s Upper East Side has resulted in losses of at least $70,000. Authorities are currently investigating three suspects – two men and a woman – believed to be involved in nine similar cases, predominantly targeting senior citizens.
The scam operation took place between May 8th and June 26th, with multiple major banks being targeted, including Chase Bank, Bank of America, Capital One, and Citibank.
Notably, the Chase Bank located near the intersection of York Ave and East 79th Street became a repeated target for the fraudsters. On the morning of June 19th around 11:30 am, the trio managed to steal nearly $24,000 from an 86-year-old woman’s account, marking the highest amount stolen in this string of fraud cases.
Police disclosed that similar incidents occurred at this branch as early as May 14th, with the group successfully withdrawing $20,000 from a 90-year-old woman’s account and $3,000 from an 83-year-old woman’s account within an hour.
Another incident on June 2nd involved a 71-year-old man at the Chase Bank near the intersection of East 90th Street and Third Avenue. One of the scammers engaged the man in conversation to distract him while surreptitiously taking his bank card from the ATM. The scammer then fled to another Chase branch near East 106th Street.
The scammer later met with another man in an attempt to withdraw $5,500. The victim discovered over $6,000 in unauthorized transactions in his account within an hour after realizing his bank card was missing.
In at least one case, the fraudsters used the pretense of “assisting with ATM use” to approach victims and steal their bank cards. Fortunately, no physical harm was inflicted on any of the victims, all of whom are elderly individuals.
Authorities are urging the public, especially seniors, to remain vigilant when using ATMs. They advise against allowing strangers to approach or operate the machine on their behalf, and to promptly ensure their bank cards are safely retrieved. If any suspicious activities are observed, individuals should notify the authorities immediately.