BUNCO SCAM ARTISTS
“Bunco Artists” are criminals that often prey on
senior citizens because these citizens are trusting,
living alone, or have large sums of money available
to them. The term Bunko comes from the Spanish word
“Banco”, which means bank. Banking scams are just
one of many used by these types of individuals.
Other scams include, but are not limited to home
invasions, burglaries, robberies, thefts, confidence
games, door-to-door, solicitors, home companion
scams, telemarketing fraud, fraudulent charity
scams, home repair frauds, pyramid schemes, health
care frauds, identity thefts, staged auto collision
and insurance frauds, lottery scams, real estate
fraud, and power of attorney abuse.
Many crimes against senior citizens are committed by
well organized, transient criminals who evade
identification and arrest by operating in various
cities and towns under many different aliases. They
often leave town before a crime has been discovered
or reported.
Criminal organizations that prey on Senior Citizens
are usually not physically violent in nature.
Unfortunately, there have been cases where physical
force has been used to achieve their goals.
When suspects are apprehended, many victims agree to
receiving restitution for their loss and the
probation of the offender in order to avoid the
stress and inconvenience of a criminal trial. In
doing so, these criminals have the freedom to travel
to other areas to continue their criminal activity.
The North Bergen Police Department has been very
active in the investigation and prosecution of
“Bunco Artists” and other such predators. The well
being of our citizens is our utmost concern and we
do not take these types of offenses lightly. We are
working in conjunction with law enforcement agencies
such as the N.Y.P.D. and Philadelphia Police
Department in an effort to track, apprehend, and
prosecute these individuals to the fullest extent of
the law.A
TYPICAL SCAM
One or two subjects make contact with a homeowner by
ringing the doorbell or knocking on the door. They
attempt to distract the homeowner and direct them
toward the kitchen with deceptions such as:
- Faking an
illness
- Posing as a
utility worker or township inspector
- Pretending to
have a package to deliver
- Asking for paper
or pen to leave a note for a neighbor
- Asking if the
house is for sale
- Looking for a
lost dog or cat
Once the homeowner is
distracted, several unseen accomplices will enter
the household and explore the house in search of
jewelry or currency. Sometimes suspects may hold up
a sheet or blanket to mask the entrance and hide
accomplices. There is usually very little sign of
ransacking since the actors go through the
homeowner’s items very carefully taking only certain
valuables and putting everything else back in its
place. After the suspects leave, the homeowner may
not even realize that anything has been taken.
This is only one example of a typical “Bunco” scam.
The North Bergen Police Department urges all
citizens who have been victimized by these types of
scams to report it as soon as possible. These
criminals rely on the fact that victims do not
always report these crimes because they are
sometimes ashamed to admit they were conned. DON’T
BE! Many people fall victim to these types of
crimes. Without your help, many of these con artists
get away with their crime and have another chance to
defraud other people.
QUICK TIPS
CHECKLIST
- Use caution when
dealing with strangers – even those who wear
authentic looking uniforms and may have a reason
for entering the house.
- Be suspicious of
strangers offering to share found money or
lottery winnings with you.
- Request and
verify identification before letting somebody in
your house.
- Check a
company’s reputation with the Better Business
Bureau, Department of Consumer Affairs, or the
township’s business office before conducting
business with them.
- Request a
written estimate for repair work. Also, get
estimates from other companies before making any
type of commitment.
- Do not invest
hastily. Do not rush into a bargain. If it
appears too good to be true, it usually is.
- Ask that you
wish to discuss a contract with a lawyer before
signing any documents
- When in doubt,
call the police!
- If the suspects
leave before the police arrive, try to obtain a
description of the person or vehicle involved. A
license plate number helps the investigation a
great deal.
- “Bunco” scam
artists are persuasive and persistent. They are
very well trained in what they do and have
managed to take away some people’s entire life
savings. The best way to avoid becoming a victim
is to remain cautious and become educated on how
these types of groups operate.
If you believe that
you have been a victim of a Bunco type scam, please
call the North Bergen Police department Detective
Bureau at (201) 392-2095. |
09.11.2001