Emmaus Police Reports

$6K Sweepstakes Scam Targets Emmaus Woman, Police Say

A resident of Ridge Manor in Emmaus sent about $6,000 to a Florida address after being told she won a sweepstakes, Emmaus Police report.

An Emmaus woman was recently reminded of the essential truth of the old adage "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." The resident of Ridge Manor at 333 Ridge St. recently became the victim of fraud and $6,000 poorer when she was told that she had won a $25 million sweepstakes and a new car, according to Emmaus Police. The woman was told that she needed to pay the taxes on her winnings up front, Emmaus police report. When she said that she did not have the money to pay the taxes, the person who contacted her about her winnings sent her checks to deposit and instructed her to send him cash and so that he could pay the taxes. The Emmaus woman mailed about $6,000 to an address in Florida. Later, the resident was advised by the …

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Pennsylvania State Police Reports

Identity Thief Fraudulently Opens Phone Account, Police Say

Upper Milford Township man is the victim of an account initiated with Verizon, troopers report.

AT&T? Verizon? The thinking must have been, "Who cares what phone company you choose when you're working with someone else's money?" In this case, someone chose Verizon as the provider in which to open a cell phone account in the name of an Upper Milford Township man, according to state police at Fogelsville. And, as you have no doubt suspected, that someone was not the true account holder. David B. Sebring of John Street was the victim of the fraud in which someone racked up a bill of $382.04 in his name on a Verizon account, police said. The incident was reported on Feb. 22.

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Pennsylvania State Police Reports

Gum-chewing Smoker Tries to Use Someone Else's Credit Card

Fraudulent purchase of two cartons of cigarettes, one pack of gum is rejected at Upper Milford mini-market, troopers say.

This much we know about one particular credit card thief: He or she smokes and likes to chew gum. Police may know more. Presuming the Upper Milford Township mini-market where fraudulent purchases recently were attempted had a surveillance camera, they may even have the suspect's description. But for now, we're likely just talking about a gum-chewing smoker. According to state police at Fogelsville, someone attempted to make a credit card purchase at 5:01 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Hess station, 4002 Chestnut St. The person wanted to buy two cartons of cigarettes and a pack of gum totaling $121.84. However, the transaction was rejected because it was determined the card had been stolen. The customer fled without the merchandise, police said. Anyone…

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Emmaus Police Reports

Police: Sellers Beware Possible Scam

If you are advertising an item for sale, don't be fooled by this classic swindle.

The Emmaus Police Department recently issued the following fraud alert: “There is a flim-flam that commonly takes place in that if you have an advertised item for sale, the ‘interested party’ will send a check or money order in an amount that exceeds the selling price. You are instructed to cash the check or money order, and then you are requested to send back the difference, ‘less a few dollars for your inconvenience,’ in the form of cash or money order. The check or money order sent to you takes a few days to clear your bank and ends up being fraudulent and any amount you sent to the ‘buyer’ is your loss. Please be aware of these types of scams.”

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Missy Moyer-Schneck

7:10 am on Monday, November 5, 2012

Lol. I get this email with every item I put on Craigslist, even my rentals, I laugh every time as I try to figure out just how stupid these people think I am, but, apparently some think this is real.   more ›

Emmaus Police Reports

Police: False Identity Used to buy 2012 Acura

An Acura TSX was purchased using a fake identity, according to the Emmaus Police Department.

It seems someone took Lehigh Valley Acura for a ride recently and made off with some new wheels in the process. Emmaus Police report fraud on Sept. 26 at Lehigh Valley Acura, 333 State Ave., where police say an individual used fraudulent identity to purchase a 2012 Acura TSX valued at $32,000.

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Identity Thief Tries to Steal $6,500 from Emmaus-Area Man

After one successful withdrawal, man is denied on second attempt, police say.

An Emmaus-area man suddenly acquired a spending habit he didn't even know he had. Fortunately, electronic bank records put a stop to it. As it turned out, someone stole the identity of the 53-year-old, according to state police at Fogelsville. Were it not for banking procedures, the man or his bank could have been out $6,500. Trouble began with a successful $3,000 withdrawal Aug. 1 from an unspecified Wells Fargo Bank branch, police said. A false Pennsylvania driver's license was used by a man described as being 35-50, black, about 6 feet tall with short hair and wearing glasses. The next day, the same man attempted to withdraw $3,500 from the same bank account but at a Wells Fargo Bank in Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County, police said. This …

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Pennsylvania State Police Reports

Local Man Avoids Expensive Scam

Caller wanted him to buy $1,000 gift card to help him get a relative back to Pennsylvania, police say.

A local man deserves credit for sniffing out a variation of a scam and not falling for it. His reward? He gets to keep the $1,000 he would have otherwise been conned into giving a crook. The rest of us benefit, too. We get to hear the new sales pitch and learn to avoid it. Edward Konmath, 75, of 7460 Catalpa Drive in Lower Macungie Township told state police at Fogelsville that he received a call at 10:50 a.m. Tuesday from a man claiming to be a relative. The man went on to say that he was in Florida and his wallet was stolen. You can guess what came next. The caller, of course, asked for $1,000 from Konmath so he could return home, police said. The caller said he could obtain access to the money if Konmath would purchase a Green Dot …

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Emmaus Police Reports

Police: Emmaus Woman Reported Fake Car Theft

Fraud charges to be brought by Auto Task Force, police say.

If Enterprise "picks you up," as they say, then an Emmaus woman let the company down recently by falsely reporting her rental car stolen, according to police. Margaret Mary Rice, 57, of 18 N. Cherry St., told borough police June 27 that a dark blue Nissan Sentra was stolen from the lot outside her apartment, Emmaus police said. Police broadcast a countywide alert in search of a man who supposedly was driving the car. The vehicle had an Enterprise sticker on the back and a Delaware registration plate, according to the broadcast. The vehicle was spotted the next morning by Allentown police about 6:55 in the area of the city boundary with Whitehall Township, according to emergency radio transmissions. The Allentown unit followed the car …

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Upper Milford Resident Reports Money Transfer Attempt

Unknown person tried to pluck $120,000 from victim's account, police say.

Someone recently tried to bilk an Upper Milford Township resident out of $120,000 by attempting a wire transfer from a financial account, according to police. State police at Fogelsville said the incident was reported at 11:15 a.m. Monday. The report said that someone tried complete a wire transfer from the victim's account to an overseas account. Police did not identify the resident and only said they live in the 3400 block of Bleiler Road.

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