ABC7 New York’s On Your Side segment recently featured the unfortunate story of a New Jersey paramedic who was scammed out of nearly $20,000. The paramedic, who chose to remain anonymous, fell victim to a phone scam that targeted her emotions and ultimately left her financially devastated.
The scam began with a phone call from someone claiming to be a law enforcement officer, who told the paramedic that her identity had been stolen and used to commit crimes in Texas. Frightened and confused, she followed the instructions given to her by the scammer, which included transferring money to various accounts to help with the investigation.
Despite feeling uneasy about the situation, the paramedic felt pressured to comply in order to clear her name and protect her job. Over the course of several days, she transferred a total of $19,100 to the scammers, who assured her that the money would be returned once the investigation was complete.
Realizing that she had been duped, the paramedic reached out to Nina Pineda of ABC7 New York’s On Your Side for help. Pineda promptly investigated the situation and found that the phone number used by the scammers had been disconnected, making it impossible to track down the culprits.
Through her efforts, Pineda was able to raise awareness about this type of scam and caution others to be vigilant when receiving similar calls. She also urged anyone who may have fallen victim to a scam to report it to the authorities immediately.
In the end, while the paramedic may never recover the money she lost, she hopes that sharing her story will prevent others from falling prey to similar schemes in the future.
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