HOBOKEN AND BEYOND — The Hoboken Police Department sent out an alert Wednesday to warn residents of a nationwide phone extortion scam that has recently targeted members of the local community.
A Hoboken resident recently received a text message in Spanish stating that a relative had been in an accident and asking that they call a phone number immediately. When they called the number, the caller stated that they had a close relative of the targeted victim captive and demanded money in exchange for their release.
Several similar incidents have taken in place in Hudson County. In these cases, an unknown male attempted to extort money from a female via telephone by making false claims that he had a family member captive.
Residents who believe they are the target of the scam should report the incident to the Hoboken Police Department by calling 201-420-2100.