In a recent interview, Staten Island District Attorney Michael E. McMahon highlighted a troubling surge in financial fraud cases affecting local residents. The District Attorney’s office is receiving at least 20 complaints weekly related to scams, underscoring the pervasive nature of these deceitful schemes. “Scammers are everywhere,” McMahon warned, advising residents to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities immediately.

Many Staten Island residents have recently reported receiving a barrage of text messages demanding payment for E-ZPass tolls. In response, the New York State Thruway Authority issued a warning on social media, classifying these messages as a scam targeting E-ZPass customers to steal their banking or credit card information. According to a statement on the E-ZPass website, it will never contact customers via email or text asking for sensitive personal information such as credit card numbers or Social Security numbers.

Additionally, McMahon recounted a distressing incident from September, where a woman fell victim to a phone scam. The caller informed her that her bank account had been compromised and advised her to transfer her funds to a “safe” account. Believing the ruse, she withdrew $35,000 in cash and handed it over as instructed. It wasn’t until later that she realized she’d been scammed, leading to feelings of regret and frustration.

Residents have also reported thefts involving tax and Social Security checks mailed by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). McMahon noted that stealing federal benefit checks has become a multimillion-dollar issue, with some individuals receiving the same benefit checks multiple times, only for each one to be stolen. These crimes are typically carried out by local thieves who break into post offices or pilfer from residential mailboxes and street-side postal boxes. Some known felons, including those with prior drug or gun-related offenses, are now orchestrating these check thefts.

Furthermore, Staten Island police issued warnings earlier this year about scammers impersonating law enforcement officers. McMahon shared one alarming case where a thief, having learned from social media that a family’s child was studying abroad, called the child’s grandfather claiming that his grandson had been arrested and needed bail money. Anxious to help, the grandfather withdrew $20,000 and handed it over to a person who showed up at his door. Others have also been targeted by fake law enforcement officers threatening to disclose personal information unless victims coughed up cash.