Northville Twp Residents Fall Victim to Crafty Scammers

In a shocking turn of events, residents of Northville Township have been hit hard by cunning scammers, getting tricked out of their hard-earned cash and even gold bars and Bitcoin! Tech-savvy law enforcement professionals were able to capture a fraudster and recover $50,000 cash, but the local police force is cautioning people as online and phone scams are skyrocketing.

Scammers are fearlessly dialing up people in the area and spinning tales of non-existent arrests and investigations. They then pressurize the victims to cough up immediate payment, typically as Bitcoin or wire transfers. The victims are manipulated into staying connected on the call, urged not to reveal anything about the situation to others, and stressed for quick payment. A few months back, the swindlers even got their hands on the hefty sum of nearly $300,000 in both cash and Bitcoin from a local resident, who they called up repeatedly. Then they had the audacity to appear at the victim’s home and pick up gold bricks.

That’s not all. Email phishing scams are catching up too, with people mistakenly thinking they’ve paid excess money into their PayPal or some such account. One unfortunate resident was tricked out of $50,000 in cash, and then another $50,000 in Bitcoin using such a phishing scam. The culprits collected the money at the victim’s house and then bolted. But, officers managed to use license plate reader technology (good ol’ LPR) to track and arrest suspects, several miles away outside Cleveland, Ohio, load of recovered cash in tow.

As an ever-vigilant sentinel, Deputy Chief Matthew MacKenzie had a word of advice for people. “Remember – cops will never ask for money over the phone, especially not in Bitcoin. If a call or email hints that you’re under investigation and the only way out is quick payment, don’t fall for it. It’s definitely a scam.”

To stay safe in these challenging times the super-helpful Northville Township Police suggest the following:

• Check who’s calling: Real law enforcement won’t ask for money on a call. Be careful of unexpected calls with supposed legal mess-ups demanding urgent payment.
• Ditch remote access: Don’t let strangers access your computer remotely. It’s a no-no.
• Secrecy is suspicious: If you’re pushed to stay on the line and not tell anyone about the situation while sending payment – it’s probably dishonest.
• Beware of hurried payment: Genuine folks won’t have you rushing to pay by Bitcoin, gift cards, or other unusual methods.
• Be tight-fisted: When it comes to your personal info and money, think, “Don’t give it, don’t send it“.

Everyone is encouraged to stay sharp, and to report anything fishy to the authorities ASAP. To report a possible scam, folks can contact the Northville Township Police Department at the helpline 248-349-9400.