Financial scams, fraud, burglaries and home invasions addressed
By Nina Recio
On May 8 the Larchmont/Mamaroneck Local Summit hosted police officials from the three local municipalities to discuss the best ways for residents to ensure their personal safety and protection. The speakers included Lt. Jason Florkowski and Det. Amy LaRosa (Town of Mamaroneck), Lt. Ron Knudsen and Det. Danielle Lent (Village of Larchmont) and Lt. P.J. Trujillo (Village of Mamaroneck). The meeting was conducted via Zoom and co-hosted by LMCMedia.
The speakers focused on the types of crimes that are most common in the community and provided advice on how to avoid becoming a victim. The most common types of crimes that residents might fall victim to are financial scams, fraud, burglaries, and home invasions.
First to address the audience was Det. LaRosa who noted that “there will always be bad actors” and spoke about common scams residents should be aware of. The scams often begin with a phone call advising of a family emergency (accident, arrest, injury, etc.) accompanied by an urgent request to send money. The request generally includes a warning not to call anybody. Alternatively, the scammer might provide a number for the victim to call but on the other end is an accomplice to the scammer who is advancing the scam.
Scammers have become more sophisticated, the detective stated. In a newer trend, scammers will offer to send an Uber or another personal carrier service to collect the money from the victim. Det. LaRosa warned residents to immediately contact the police if anyone receives such a phone call and to check with family members about their safety.
Scams utilizing the internet can be particularly troublesome for consumers. These scams may involve the impersonation of a government official and a threat of legal action or fines if a request for money is not fulfilled. In another recent situation, the scammer advised the victim that a tax refund could not be finalized until additional personal information was provided. Det. LaRosa emphasized that the government will never ask for money or payment in this way and warned listeners never to provide personal or financial information.
Det. LaRosa further warned the audience to be wary of “phishing” scams and not to click on links. For further protection, internet users should activate firewalls and never hand over remote handling of a personal computer.
Lt. Trujillo focused on burglary prevention and provided tips to residents on how to protect their homes. On a very basic level he told the audience to keep windows and doors locked and to keep bushes and trees trimmed so that windows are not obscured. The lieutenant also urged residents to invest in a good home alarm system, a quality home camera system and motion detectors. He warned the audience never to leave ladders outside the home and always keep
car doors locked. Det. Lent also warned the audience not to leave key fobs in the car or elsewhere visible, such as the house. In a recent local incident, the perpetrator saw a key fob through a house window, entered the home and stole the fob and the car.
Lt. Trujllo discussed various means to provide security and protection to a home while on vacation. He encouraged residents to refrain from posting photos or comments on Instagram, Snapchat or elsewhere while on vacation as this amounts to an announcement that the premises may be vacant and vulnerable. Have newspapers and the mail held while on vacation, he urged, or have a neighbor pick up these items or packages that are delivered. The lieutenant also recommended that residents rotate the use of indoor timers on their lights and notify the police when the house will be vacant. Finally, he warned that, if upon returning home after vacation it appears that things have been moved, one should immediately contact the police and not tamper with the potential crime scene. Lt. Knudsen added that residents should not wait or hesitate to call the police if they see suspicious activity and said that it may be better to use the phone number of the local police department (and keep it on “speed dial”) rather than calling 911.
Each police department representative underscored the close working relationship among the three local police departments as well as their tight relationships with county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. They ended by stating that police resources are available to help the community and community members should not hesitate to contact them.
The Larchmont-Mamaroneck Local Summit is an informal community council that seeks to make a better life for the community by keeping it informed of major issues of concern. The next meeting will be in September. Visit the Local Summit online: https://www.localsummitlm.org/ LMC Media: https://lmcmedia.org/.
