WARNING! The Ho-Ho-Kus Police Just Revealed the Top 3 Scams Targeting Seniors in Bergen County
photos courtesy of the Ho-Ho-Kus Police Department
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
HO-HO-KUS, NJ – The Ho-Ho-Kus Police Department is stepping up its community education efforts to combat the rising tide of fraud targeting older residents. In a vital partnership focused on senior safety, HHK officers recently held an informative session designed to empower our most vulnerable community members.
Detective Sergeant Balestrieri, along with an experienced investigator from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, met with the St. Luke’s Church “Senior Lucans” group to deliver crucial, life-saving information. The focus of the presentation was simple: how to recognize red flags and protect yourself from financial scams.
The Scams You Need to Know About Now
Scammers constantly evolve their tactics, but the foundation of most fraud remains the same. The joint presentation covered the most common and dangerous schemes currently circulating in Bergen County and beyond:
- Internet Scams: Phishing emails, fake technical support calls, and fraudulent online purchases designed to steal personal banking information.
- Phone Scams: Including the infamous “Grandparent Scam,” where fraudsters impersonate a family member in distress needing immediate cash, or impersonating the IRS/Social Security to demand payment.
- “Gypsy” Scams (Home Improvement Fraud): Unlicensed contractors who often target seniors, performing shoddy work or charging exorbitant fees for unnecessary services.
Key Takeaways: How to Stay Safe and Empowered
The experts emphasized that the best defense is awareness. Residents were given actionable tips to help them and their loved ones recognize a scam immediately:
- Stop and Verify: Never give out personal information, account details, or send money/gift cards based on an unsolicited call or email. Always hang up and independently verify the request using a trusted, pre-existing phone number (e.g., call the bank or police station directly).
- The IRS and Police Don’t Call for Money: Government agencies and law enforcement will never demand immediate payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. These are always red flags.
- If It Sounds Too Good to Be True, It Is: Any unsolicited offer promising large sums of money, an easy job, or a free prize is likely a scam.
We are proud to partner with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office to keep Ho-Ho-Kus residents informed, empowered, and safe from these predatory activities. Keeping our community’s seniors secure is a top priority.
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The seniors need to stop answering their phone. They answer the phone every call they say, I don’t know about you people but 90% of my phone calls are all telemarketers and actually I love it because I screw with them.
Don’t answer the phone if you don’t know the number.
Don’t respond to texts that you don’t recognize from your Contacts list.
Conduct all meetings in front of a police station or a Greek bodega.