NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — The NYPD is warning about scammers working in groups to target elderly New Yorkers.<\/p>\n
They’re allegedly using fake jewelry to distract victims and swap their expensive jewelry.<\/p>\n
There’s also a scam for fraudulent home repair services.<\/p>\n
Police say 22-year-old Stefania Alexandru scammed a 76-year-old woman out of a $3,000 necklace back in March.<\/p>\n
“At one point in that video, she does say, ‘Come out to the car. Come see my children in the car. And this is a stranger. You know, they’ve never met before. So this is very odd behavior,” Lt. Kevin Kelly with NYPD Crime Prevention said.<\/p>\n
The NYPD discussed a spike in the jewelry swapping scam with 11 incidents between February and March targeting older New Yorkers in Brooklyn and Queens.<\/p>\n
“What they do is they’re just looking for somebody that’s wearing visible jewelry,” Kelly said.<\/p>\n
Three people have been arrested in connection with the scheme and were charged with multiple counts of grand larceny.<\/p>\n
There have been no arrests in an incident in April where police say a 69-year-old woman was flagged down for directions and tricked out of a $900 gold necklace.<\/p>\n
“Now you see the suspect’s hands are again around the victim’s neck. And now she pulls her in for a hug. And then this is when the real jewelry is removed,” Kelly said.<\/p>\n
In the 11 incidents, a total of $90,000 in jewelry was stolen.<\/p>\n
Police are still looking for other suspects.<\/p>\n
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