Police: Bronx man tried to scam senior out of $9,700

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A Bronx man was arrested in East Meadow in June 18 for allegedly trying to scam a local senior resident out of $9,700.

According to Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder, Carlos Miguel Torres Ferreira, 38, called a 78-year old man and said that his grandson had been arrested for driving while intoxicated and needed $9,700 for bail. However, Ferreira called someone who doesn’t have a grandson.

Ferreira gave him the phone number of what he said was the Nassau County District Attorney for the senior resident to call and verify. On calling, the spurious District Attorney asked him to meet in the parking lot of the Greene Turtle in East Meadow.

Being a retired police officer, the senior, who requested to remain anonymous, knew the DA would never ask a resident to meet in a public parking lot. “Our District Attorney is one of the most professional in the country,” Ryder said. “They’re not going to ask you to drop off bail money in a parking lot.”

The senior called police who arranged to have detectives meet Ferreira under cover as the victim. They dressed as an elderly male with a walker and approached Ferreira to give him an envelope full of cash. When he reached out to accept the envelope, police arrested him. Ferreira resisted and a fight ensued between him and nearby detectives before he was apprehended.

Ferreira faces charges of third-degree attempted grand larceny and of resisting arrest. He will be arraigned in Town of Hempstead First District Court today.

Ryder added that Ferreira had taken a new approach to scamming the senior by giving him a fake number and pretending to be the District Attorney. He told residents to be weary of callers asking for money and to always call the police before taking action, should it seem suspicious.

“We need our victims to know what is going on out there,” Ryder said. “If you have a neighbor, if you have a family member who is elderly, contact them, speak to them. Let them know that they should be talking to you before they give anybody money.”