Prosecutor: Texas senior citizen was scammed into wiring $6,200 to Paterson bank account
By Jonathan Greene
Published: June 3, 2019
A New Jersey woman has been arrested and accused of running a telephone scam that targeted elderly people, according to the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office.
Authorities arrested Greisy Breton, 40-year-old, of Cherry Hill, on Wednesday and charged her with third-degree theft. She allegedly participated in a scam targeting senior citizens. Victims were contacted by telephone and told a relative was in trouble and needed bail for release from jail.
In one instance, a senior citizen living in Texas was contacted and persuaded to wire $6,200 into a bank account in Paterson controlled by Breton.
Senior citizens are often the victims of these scams, authorities said. Victims are told an emergency has befallen their grandchildren or other relatives and instructed to deposit funds into a bank account or send cash by parcel delivery.
Authorities warn senior citizens to be alert and not to wire, transfer, or send money to strangers as a result of a telephone call.
Breton could face three to five years in state prison if convicted.
The Financial Crimes Unit at the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office continues to investigate the alleged scam run by Breton.
Breton was released on a summons-complaint and is scheduled for a court hearing on June 12, 2019.