Scam artists are
targeting area seniors

By Diane Prokop
Times Staff Writer

While con men can be white, black, Hispanic or Asian, young or old, tall or short, and be dressed like a utility worker, businessman or roofer, they all have one thing in common.
They’re smooth talkers.
"They are such smooth talkers that they suck in their victims. Sometimes they’re with the people for hours," said Officer Stephanie Ahrndt, the 2nd Police District’s victim-assistance officer.
During an incident last month on the 6700 block of Roosevelt Blvd., a scam artist posed as a water department worker who told his victim that he needed to check plumbing in the house. He convinced the woman of his legitimacy because he called her by name — knowledge he easily could have obtained from the phone book or her mailbox.
According to Officer Joanne Kitz, community-relations officer for the 15th Police District, that trickery enabled the scam artist to gain entry to the woman’s home, where he stole $500 in cash.
That’s why they’re called con men.
The old New York Herald coined the term "confidence man" in a July 8, 1849, article about the arrest of William Thompson, who was known for chatting up victims and persuading them to have the confidence to lend him their watches.
Here in Philadelphia, the police department’s Web site notes that, as people grow older, their likelihood of becoming a crime victim decreases dramatically.
"But a lifetime of experience coupled with the physical problems associated with aging often make older Americans fearful," the Web site adds. "Though they’re on the lookout constantly for physical attack and burglary, they’re not as alert to frauds and con games — in reality the greatest crime threat to seniors’ well-being and trust."
At the time of the 2000 census, Philadelphia had more than 200,000 senior citizens, with almost 67,000 of them living in the Northeast.
While these seniors — many of whom grew up during the Depression — often clip coupons and watch every penny they spend, they are often talked into handing over large amounts of cash.
The most recent scam in the 2nd district involved what police call the hanky or bandanna drop. The victim was an 81-year-old man.
The scam artist told the man he’d receive a $2,000 share of found money if he first put up $600 in good-faith money. They drove around in the man’s car for a couple of hours, stopping at two bank branches so that he could take out cash advances of $500 (the maximum allowed on one transaction) and $100.
Instead of getting $2,000, the elderly man got stuck holding the envelope — filled with shredded paper.
"Be leery of people who strike up conversations," Ahrndt said.
In many cases, more than one person is part of the scam, with the second person used to distract the victim or lend more credibility to the scheme, Ahrndt explained.
One man was scammed by someone who said he was from Africa and needed to find a room. Another person who happened to be standing nearby offered to help the "lost" man. The con artist told the victim that if he could help the fellow find a place to stay, he’d reward him with money — part of a settlement for his brother’s death in a plane crash.
Somehow, the victim was persuaded to first withdraw $10,000 for the promise of eventually receiving $40,000 — and ended up losing his money.
According to Ahrndt, another scam involves men who have stood outside the Sears store in the Roosevelt Mall and told passersby that they’re store employees. These con artists have asked people to give them between $5,000 and $10,000 in cash, vowing that they’ll in turn provide big-screen TVs and sophisticated electronics equipment worth far more.
Once they’ve received the cash, Ahrndt said, the men enter the store to get the equipment — but flee by heading for another exit.
According to police, there is no limit to the variety of scams. Driving seniors have been told that a tire seems on the verge of falling off and should be repaired immediately. Or a letter may arrive in the mail, delivering the "good news" that the recipient has won a lottery in a foreign country — but payment of a fee is required to collect the winnings.
Two weeks ago, a blue, mid-size pickup truck pulled up to an elderly Somerton woman’s home. A man got out, knocked on her front door and told the woman that her home needed roof repairs.
According to the woman, the man, who appeared to be in his 60s, was tan and clean-cut with a salt-and-pepper mustache and wore a tan T-shirt and white canvas pants. A ladder was mounted on the side of his blue truck.
When the woman asked what the repairs would cost, the man told her it would depend on the amount of materials, and that he really wouldn’t know until the job was finished.
After he sprayed what apparently was driveway sealer on a shingled roof, he told the woman that he needed a piece of paper to figure the cost. She invited him in the side door of the house.
The guy said the woman owed him $800. When she balked at the price, he told her he’d give her a senior citizen discount and charged $400.
For the 79-year-old woman, decisions to let the man into her home and pay him in cash could have led to more than a $400 loss and some tarred shingles, which have to be replaced, police said.
It could have been a real tragedy. ••
Reporter Diane Prokop can be reached at 215-354-3036 or dprokop@phillynews.com

Police provide safety
tips for seniors:

o Be alert when out and about.
o Go with friends or family, not alone.
o Carry your purse close to your body, not dangling by the straps. Put a wallet in an inside coat pocket or front pants pocket.
o Don’t carry credit cards you don’t need or large amounts of cash.
o Use direct deposit for Social Security and other regular checks.
o Whether you’re a passenger or driver, keep car doors locked. Be particularly alert in parking lots and garages. Park near an entrance.
o On public transportation, sit close to the driver or near the exit while riding the bus or subway.
o Install good locks on doors and windows. Use them! Don’t hide keys in mailboxes and planters or under doormats. Instead, leave an extra set of keys with a neighbor or friend.
o Ask for photo identification from service or delivery people before letting them in. If you are the least bit worried, call the company for verification.
o Be sure your street address number is large, clear of obstructions, and well-lighted so police and other emergency personnel can find your home quickly.
o Consider a home alarm system that provides monitoring for burglary, fire and medical emergencies.
o Don’t fall for anything that sounds too good to be true — a free vacation, sweepstakes prizes, cures for cancer and arthritis, or a low-risk, high-yield investment scheme.
o Never give your credit card, phone card, Social Security or bank account number to anyone over the phone. It’s illegal for telemarketers to ask for these numbers to verify a prize or gift.
o Don’t let anyone rush you into signing anything — an insurance policy, a sales agreement or a contract. Read it carefully and have someone you trust check it over.
o If you’re suspicious, check it out with the police, the Better Business Bureau, or local consumer protection office. Call the National Consumers League Fraud Information Center at 800-876-7060.
Source: Police department Web site www.ppdonline.org/prev/prev_pers_seniors.php

Other helpful resources:

The Coalition of Advocates for the Rights of the Infirm Elderly (CARIE)
100 N. 17th St., Suite 600
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-545-5728
www.carie.org

Northeast Victim Services
Revere Commons, Suite 4
2824 Cottman Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19149
215-332-3888
Represents the 2nd, 7th, 8th and 15th police districts