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“Grandson Under Arrest Scam” Hits Midland Park

midland Park Police

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Midland Park NJ, the Midland Park Police Department has issued a Scam alert………..

An elderly resident reported to MPPD that they were contacted by a representative of the MPPD informing them a grandson was under arrest and bail money was needed for his release. The caller requested the bail payment be made with gift cards. This is SCAM…. and has been circulating lately.

Unfortunately the majority of the victims of phone scams are elderly people. So we ask that you speak to your elderly family members about the various phone scams.

If anyone you know suspects they were a victim of a phone scam please contact your local law enforcement agency.

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Bitcoin and IRS Scam alert……….please share.

Utah Software Engineer Mints Physical Bitcoins

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Midland Park NJ, according to the Midland Park Police ,a Midland Park resident was contacted by a female caller who represented herself as an employee of the IRS. The caller explained to the resident that her identity was being used fraudulently and the resident would have to make a payment for an IRS investigation to begin. The resident informed the female caller she did not understand why the IRS was contacting her and asked for a further explanation. The female caller then informed the resident that she would have someone from the Midland Park Police Department contact her and explain the situation to her. A short time later the resident received a phone call from the Midland Park Police Department main number 201-444-2300, a male who represented himself as Officer James Morris of the Midland Park Police Department advised the resident a monetary payment was needed to further investigate the identity fraud. The original female caller then came back on the phone and instructed the resident to deposit money in to a bitcoin ATM machine located inside of a Ramsey NJ restaurant. The resident was ultimately scammed out of several thousand dollars.

This incident is the first where a scammer spoofed the phone number of the Midland Park Police Department. Officer James Morris does NOT work for the Midland Park Police Department. The Midland Park Police Department does NOT solicit any type of monetary payment for the IRS.

We remind you to NOT send any type of payment with gift cards, bitcoin, or electronic wire services such as Western Union.

If you receive a call which you suspect to be a scam simply hang up the phone. If you are unsure of the authenticity of the call please contact us at 201-444-2300 or contact a trusted family member who can help you determine the authenticity of the call.

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Midland Park Multi Vehicle Collision Takes Out Railroad Signal

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photo courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Midland Park NJ, Two (2) victims of a Thursday afternoon, 12/20, two (2) vehicle collision at the intersection of Goffle Road and Lake Avenue in Midland Park were transported by ambulances to The Valley Hospital with non life threatening crash related injuries. Midland Park Police, Midland Park Fire Department, Midland Park EMS, Wyckoff Police, Wyckoff EMS, and Ridgewood Police units responded to the incident. A flatbed tow truck removed both wrecks from the scene. A railroad crossing signal belonging to the New York Susquehanna & Western Railway was obliterated in the crash.

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Two Alarm Fire Leaves Beauty Salon Heavily Damaged

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photo courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Midland Park NJ,  A 2-alarm Tuesday afternoon, 12/18, fire heavily damaged a building housing a first floor beauty salon in the 200 block of Godwin Avenue, Midland Park. Midland Park Fire Department was assisted by Ho-Ho-Kus Fire Department, Waldwick Fire Department, and Wyckoff Fire Department at the scene. No injuries were reported in the blaze. Mildand Park Police and Midland Park EMS also responded. Wyckoff Police assisted with traffic control

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Former Midland Park Man Arrested In Kansas On Charges Of Running $900,000 Ponzi Scheme

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Midland Park NJ,  A former Bergen County, New Jersey, man was arrested today in Park City, Kansas, on charges that he defrauded at least 20 people by soliciting investments in what he claimed were highly successful financial instruments, but which was actually a Ponzi scheme, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Thomas Lanzana, 51, formerly of Midland Park, New Jersey, and now residing in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, was charged by complaint with one count each of wire fraud and commodities fraud. He is scheduled to have his initial court appearance today in Wichita federal court.

According to the criminal complaint:

As early as 2013, Lanzana fraudulently solicited approximately $900,000 from at least 20 customers to invest in algorithm-based trading pools in foreign currency derivatives (forex) and other financial instruments. He falsely claimed to prospective customers that he was a successful forex trader. Lanzana allegedly took several steps to keep his customers’ trust: he sent them false account statements; he posted false monthly account statements to his companies’ websites showing balances, some in excess of $800,000, for forex trading accounts that did not exist; and he sent false tax documents to customers reporting earnings that did not exist.

Lanzana misappropriated at least $350,000 in customer funds, using some to repay earlier investors in the manner of a Ponzi scheme, and to pay for his personal expenses, including purchases on Amazon, payments to a luxury car dealer and a jewelry retailer, and golf expenses.

The count of mail fraud with which Lanzana is charged carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss caused by the scheme. The count of commodities fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $1 million, or twice the gross gain or loss.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie, and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of John R. Tafur, with the investigation leading to the arrest. He also thanked the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Division of Enforcement for its role in the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Feder of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Cyber Crime Unit.

The charges and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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United States Postal Service holiday package theft prevention/awareness campaign

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Midland Park NJ, from the Midland Park Police Department :

Midland Park residents………
From the United States Postal Service….The U.S. Postal Inspection Service would like to notify local, state, and federal law enforcement personnel that due to the increased amount of holiday deliveries USPS employees will be working extended holiday hours including delivering mail through the evening hours and they may be utilizing non-USPS vehicles.

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Midland Park Police Department : Organization Currently Soliciting for Ads has No Affiliation with any Midland Park Sports Organization

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Midland Park NJ, Midland Park Police Department warns all Midland Park residents be advised this organization is currently soliciting for ads in this journal. THEY HAVE NO AFFILIATION WITH THE TOWN AND ARE NOT SOLICITING ON BEHALF OF ANY MIDLAND PARK SPORTS ORGANIZATION , if you have any questions please contact Midland Park Police Department.

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“It’s snowing, the roads are terrible, stay home. Thank you!”

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Midland Park  NJ, our neighbor to the north , Midland Park is the home of the best snow storm quote for the Blizzard of 2018 . From the Midland Park Police Department’s Facebook page, that’s says it all  :

Midland Park Police Department
November 15 at 5:21 PM ·
Traffic Advisory….
It’s snowing, the roads are terrible, stay home. Thank you!

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Ridgewood Water Buys “Elks ” and property on Goffle Road

Ridgewood Elks

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Village Council has finalized the purchase of the old Elks lodge by Ridgewood Water on North Maple next to Ridgewood Public Library and Village Hall . This ends a long saga involving the sad demise of the Ridgewood Elks . The Elks lodge was closed in 2016 and was contested by the local Elks leadership which in the end failed to resurrect the lodge.

Continue reading Ridgewood Water Buys “Elks ” and property on Goffle Road

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Watch Out Seniors a Midland Park Pharmacy is Filling Prescriptions in the Wrong language !

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Midland Park NJ, watch out seniors , the Ridgewood blog has learned that the CVS in Midland Park on Godwin Avenue has been filling drug prescriptions all in Spanish. Great if you speak Spanish but leaving English only speakers with no way to verify if the prescription is correct putting some seniors in serious jeopardy .

The report came in on Thrursday and raised a lot of eyebrows given the epidemic of prescription drug abuse gripping Bergen County .Midland Park which according to the 2010 census was 92.82% white and only 6.65% Latino made the even more particularly concerning .

Continue reading Watch Out Seniors a Midland Park Pharmacy is Filling Prescriptions in the Wrong language !

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National Prescription Drug Take Back Day October 27th

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police Department reminds residents that National Prescription Drug Take Back Day addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.2 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.

Continue reading National Prescription Drug Take Back Day October 27th

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Social Service Association fall kick off event!

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the staff of the Ridgeood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Social Service Association fall kick off event!  A casual, fun party to benefit Social Service Association featuring the Declan Power band.  www.ssaridgewood.org

SSA is a Ridgewood based organization that currently assists approx 125 families in Glen Rock, HoHoKus, Midland Park, Ridgewood, Waldwick and Wyckoff with food vouchers, small financial help, weekly pantry visits, Thanksgiving meals, Holiday gifts, camperships and much more!  #neighborshelpingneighbors

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Ridgewood Water will be hosting a series of Community Open Houses in Wyckoff, Midland Park, Ridgewood and Glen Rock

Ridgewood Water

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Water announced that it is hosting a series of Community Open Houses in Wyckoff, Midland Park, Ridgewood and Glen Rock to provide the public with an opportunity to learn more about Ridgewood Water’s regular maintenance, system upgrades, and compliance with new and evolving regulations for drinking water, including Per – and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). PFAS are man-made chemicals that are found to be widespread and extremely persistent in the environment.

Continue reading Ridgewood Water will be hosting a series of Community Open Houses in Wyckoff, Midland Park, Ridgewood and Glen Rock

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Glen Rock, Wyckoff and Midland Park Push for Municipal Utilities Authority to Set Ridgewood Water Rates

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Glen Rock, Wyckoff and Midland Park have been stepping up their calls for a multi-town water commission to set water rates.

Continue reading Glen Rock, Wyckoff and Midland Park Push for Municipal Utilities Authority to Set Ridgewood Water Rates

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Midland Park hit by Ongoing PSE&G and IRS Scams

midland Park Police

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Midland Park NJ, the Midland Park Police Department would like to remind you of the ongoing PSE&G and IRS scams. PSE&G and the IRS do not solicit for payment by phone or require payment by gift card. If you receive a phone call from someone representing themselves to be a PSE&G or IRS employee who is requesting money please hang up the phone.

Continue reading Midland Park hit by Ongoing PSE&G and IRS Scams