In today’s society, various scams continue to emerge. Senator Chen Xueli’s office in South Brooklyn held a seminar on “Identifying Fraud and Scams” at the Brooklyn Library yesterday (September 12). With 27 years of police experience and former executive officer of the Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Senator Chen shared multiple scam techniques with attendees based on his own experiences and real cases, as well as proposed preventive measures.
About two months ago, a Chinese man sought help from Senator Chen’s office, stating that his sister had been swindled out of a large sum of savings. It turned out that she had met a man online who claimed to be a U.S. Army general. After gaining her trust by providing photos and a passport, he persuaded her to wire over $78,000. Upon investigation, although the person existed, the real general was unaware of the situation, indicating that someone had used his identity for fraud. The victim not only suffered financial losses but also emotional distress. Senator Chen pointed out that such love scams involving identity theft are highly deceptive and difficult to guard against.
Senator Chen himself recently received a scam phone call. The caller ID displayed “Chase Bank” branch number, claiming someone had opened an account with “iPhone 13” using his phone number. However, Senator Chen used a Samsung phone, not an iPhone. When pressed for details, the caller didn’t know his name or provide an account, only mentioning they knew his email. Sensing suspicion, he requested the caller to send an official email or letter, but the caller immediately went silent.
Senator Chen reminded that simply seeing “Chase” or “Citi” on the phone display is not enough to prove the call is from the bank. The safest way is to request written verification or visit the branch in person for confirmation.
In addition to phone and online scams, caregivers or individuals closely related to the elderly may also steal belongings. Therefore, in the event of suspicious situations, one should not hastily sign or guarantee any documents.
Reflecting on his experience as a notary public a few years ago, Senator Chen recalled a neighbor who, without understanding the content, prepared to use their property as collateral to bail out a son-in-law. After questioning and clarification, the neighbor expressed unwillingness, and he did not seal the document to prevent the neighbor from making a major and potentially regrettable decision under pressure.
He advised that if someone asks you to mortgage your property, savings, or any assets in exchange for bail or other urgent matters, take a moment to inquire about details, verify identities, consult with a lawyer or trusted family and friends. His office also provides free assistance and lawyer recommendations.
Yuelai Wong, manager of TD Bank branch, shared common pitfalls of wire transfers: scammers request victims to deposit cash into a specific account or use gift cards for payment (e.g., buying gift cards and providing the numbers to scammers). Sometimes, they may send you an “amount” and ask you to deduct processing fees and send back the remaining amount, which is often fake or will be reversed, leaving you with actual losses. Manager Wong strongly advises against transferring money to personal accounts and recommends personally contacting the involved parties before making any transfers.
Another type is the cryptocurrency and “friend making money” transfer trap: some claim that a “friend makes a lot of money on Coinbase” and persuade you to transfer money to a certain individual or account, often involving illegitimate investments. Manager Wong warned against transferring funds to personal accounts, as investment opportunities promising high returns through “friend referrals” are typically fraudulent.
Senator Chen added that there have been instances of MLM or Ponzi schemes posing as physical stores (such as furniture stores) recently: using a legitimate storefront as a cover, they solicit funds from friends and the community, promising fixed monthly returns (e.g., exchanging $50,000 for monthly cash returns). Initially, they may return some funds using previous money to gain trust, then abruptly stop payments and close the store. He cautioned that any investment requiring money to be handed over to a company or individual in exchange for high fixed returns demands extra caution.
At the end of the seminar, Senator Chen summarized several immediate steps to take: request suspicious callers to provide written notifications and physically verify at the branch; never wire funds to personal accounts or use gift cards for payment.
If you suspect identity theft or personal information leakage, you can apply for credit freeze/lock for free at the three major credit reporting agencies Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Once frozen, criminals can’t use your identity to open new credit cards, car loans, mortgages, or apply for benefits. When applying, set a password for future unfreezing. Both freezing and unfreezing are free, either permanently or for a set period; applying at one agency will synchronize the others.
Senator Chen advised individuals to use legal and branded card readers at banks or large supermarkets as much as possible to avoid swiping EBT cards or credit cards at small businesses or unbranded card readers. Genuine compliant machines are expensive (around $3,000 to $4,000 each), whereas small businesses often opt for cheaper devices ($200 to $300), which lack security measures and can easily be exploited by criminals to replicate card information.
If you suspect that your EBT card or another government card has been skimmed, note that the state has initiated a plan to issue a new version of EBT cards with built-in chips once the fund-raising reaches $38 million, reducing the risk of card skimming.
Senator Chen reiterated that residents can always seek assistance at his office in cases of suspicious calls, texts, or letters. His team is willing to assist free of charge by reviewing documents, providing notarization, lawyer referrals, and helping community residents stay away from scam traps.