A Message from the Ardsley Police Department -SCAM ALERT!

Below is information provided by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in regard to ongoing scams.

Scammers who gain access to consumers' personal information - by mining social media or purchasing data from cyber thieves - can create storylines to prey on the fears of grandparents.

The scammers call and impersonate a grandchild or another close relative stating they are in an emergency situation and ask for immediate financial assistance.

Often the imposter claims to have been in an accident or arrested. Unfortunately, bad actors can now use artificial intelligence technology, commonly known as Al, and a short audio or video clip to "clone" a loved one's voice, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

The scammers quickly pass the conversation over to a third party. Fraudsters then introduce another person involved in the crisis. This could be someone claiming to be law enforcement, a lawyer, or a kidnapper.

In order to protect the family member in trouble, the victim will be required to pay money. The caller will ask for bail money or gift cards to get the victim's loved one out of the situation. Sometimes, scammers even show up at your door or send rideshare drivers to collect money.

If you get a call like this, hang up and report it immediately to local law enforcement.

Several variations of the grandparent scam have surfaced over the years. It's more important than ever to keep an eye out for the red flags of grandparent and other senior citizen scams and to know what to do if you or a loved one receives a suspicious call. Please take the time to have these conversations with your loved ones.

The Ardsley Police is available 24/7 with any questions or concerns you may have. We can be reached directly at (914) 693-1700.