Blotter: “Swatting” and phishing scams
A 55-year-old Laurel resident told police that while checking her credit score March 15 she found a credit inquiry from Wells Fargo Bank. She then discovered that an unknown person or persons had applied for a loan in her name. An investigation is ongoing.
• A Mattituck homeowner called police March 18 to report a fire on his backyard deck. Officers and Mattituck Fire Department members responded and found that the resident had already extinguished a small fire inside an outdoor shower. A preliminary investigation found that the fire may have been caused by sunlight reflecting onto the wooden deck from a mirror hanging in the shower.
• Southold Town police responded March 19 to an anonymous report of a male waving a bottle out of the window of a vehicle parked on the westbound shoulder of Route 25. A 70-year-old man was found in the vehicle’s driver’s seat waving an empty plastic Coke bottle out the window. When asked about his conduct, he stated he was protesting the Catholic church. Since the man was legally parked and not creating a hazard, he was allowed to continue his “protest.” No further action was taken.
• A 40-year-old Mattituck resident came to police headquarters March 21 to report receiving a text on her phone that she thought was from Bethpage Federal Credit Union. It said: “We declined a charge of $501.78 Zelle transfer …. Was this you? Please reply yes or no.” The victim replied no. A reply text said a representative would contact her. A female giving the name “Susie Wiggins” did call and told the woman to provide all her passwords and together they would change them. The victim had checking, savings and money market accounts with Bethpage, from which more than $16,000 was taken. The victim contacted Bethpage Credit Union and its fraud department is working on this incident.
• Southold police received a call of a domestic disturbance at a home in Cutchogue March 24. The caller stated that he told his father he was gay and the father threatened to kill him. Officers responded to the home and the resident there said he made no such call and that no one by the names used by the caller live there. Officers later learned that police in Fresno, Calif. had reported receiving a similar complaint and identified it as a “swatting” scam intended to mislead law enforcement into engaging in police activity under false pretenses.
• A Southold man called police March 22 to report seeing an unidentified individual walking down the street with a sword at his side. An officer responded and canvassed the area, with negative results. The officer noted that Greenport High School had been hosting a “pirate play” that day.
Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.
