Basketball fundraiser phone scam nets thousands of dollars, NYPD warns
Between this January and November, cops reported a total of 39 grand larceny incidents in Manhattan and Brooklyn, with the phony hoopsters racking up $76,500.
The NYPD is cracking down on a citywide crime trend of young men who have been swindling New Yorkers out of thousands of dollars through a basketball team fundraiser con, cops said.
Between this January and November, cops reported a total of 39 grand larceny incidents in Manhattan and Brooklyn, with the crews of young crooks racking up a total of $76,500. In each incident, two or three youths approach a victim and ask for donations for a basketball fundraiser. One of them then takes the victim’s phone, allegedly to helpfully type in his information, and sends a money transfer through Zelle, Venmo or another mobile payment application while the other individual distracts the victim. Instead of the agreed-to modest sum, though, the scammer transfers anywhere from $1,000 to $4,000, cops said.
The conmen target people mostly in their 20s, and reported locations for their illicit activity include Central Park, the World Trade Center, West Village, Wall Street, Chelsea, Hells Kitchen, Midtown, Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights. None of the victims were physically injured in the scams.
Cops arrested four individuals from New Jersey linked to the bogus fundraisers. Jakeem Scott, 21, Tymir Black, 19, Aviana Clark, 19, and a 15-year-old boy were all charged with grand larceny.
Cops are still seeking four more individuals linked to the scam.
Anyone with information regarding this crime pattern and the suspects is asked to call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
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