Scotch Plains Police Department — Community Safety Alert

The Scotch Plains Police Department is reminding residents to remain vigilant as we have recently seen an increase in financial scams targeting residents by telephone, along with the ongoing concern of package thefts.

Scammers may call pretending to represent a bank, financial institution, government agency, or law enforcement. In some cases, callers are requesting debit cards, cash, checks, account information, passwords, PINs, or other sensitive information. Some scams have even involved a supposed “courier” being sent directly to a resident’s home to collect debit cards, cash, or checks.

Please remember: Your bank will not send a courier to your home to collect your debit card, cash, or checks.

If you receive a suspicious call regarding your finances:

• DO NOT provide personal or financial information over the phone.
• DO NOT give your debit card, cash, checks, or other valuables to anyone who comes to your home.
• DO NOT rely on a phone number provided by the caller.
• Hang up and contact your financial institution directly using the official telephone number you know to be legitimate.
• When possible, visit your local bank branch in person and speak directly with a representative.

When it comes to package deliveries, residents can also take simple precautions such as tracking deliveries, utilizing secure delivery locations, requesting signature confirmation for valuable items, installing doorbell/security cameras, or asking a trusted neighbor to retrieve packages when they are away.

If something doesn't feel right, trust your instincts. Take a moment to stop, hang up, and verify the information independently.

If you believe you have been the victim of a scam or package theft, or if you observe suspicious activity, please contact the Scotch Plains Police Department at 908-322-7100. For an emergency or crime in progress, call 911.

Stay alert. Stay informed. Stay safe. Together, we can help protect our Scotch Plains community.