Urgent Alert: Kiryas Joel Targeted in Ongoing Scams!

By Y.M. Lowy

A heimishe woman from Kiryas Joel received a call that initially sounded harmless but quickly became dangerous. The caller claimed to be from her bank and said extra money had been deposited into her account. When she checked, the money appeared exactly as they said. Then they demanded she withdraw twelve thousand dollars in cash and bring it to a nearby location. She did what they asked for, and unfortunately, the money was gone the moment she handed it over. 

Just two weeks earlier, a similar scam took place in Kiryas Joel. That time, it was $26,000. Same setup. These scammers are targeting our community. They’re watching and waiting for people to panic. They can hack your computer to make it look and feel real. 

Sometimes they call and say your computer is under attack. Other times, they pretend to be the IRS or the FBI. They say your identity was stolen or that you owe money. Scammers are trained to sound convincing. They might speak calmly, use real names, and even make the caller ID look official. But if they’re asking for gift cards or other interesting forms of payment, telling you to keep it secret, or offering something that sounds too good to be true, it’s time to pause. 

If someone is rushing you, it’s probably a scam. Real situations don’t require split-second decisions. If something feels off, pause. Say you’ll call them back and check with a family member or someone you trust in the meantime. 

Also, be extra careful with checks. There’s a new scam where people steal checks right out of outdoor mailboxes. They look for big envelopes and pull them out. Always make sure to use secure drop-offs. And if you mail anything important, follow up to confirm it arrived. The scams are creative and keep changing, so be alert. Don’t click strange alerts on a computer or give money or personal info over the phone. 

If you think you have been scammed, call the police or Public Safety. Even if you think the scam is over and you can’t be helped, you might be able to stop the scammers from targeting someone else. 

State Police in the Monroe Area 845-782-8311

Kiryas Joel Public Safety 845-782-5577