NYPD investigating theft pattern targeting elderly customers at ATMs
The New York City Police Department is investigating an ATM scheme targeting elderly New Yorkers.
Detectives say there have been nine victims in the past two months at various Upper East Side banks. According to police, the thieves approach older customers at ATMs, remove their bank card and make unauthorized transactions.
Some victims lost a few thousand dollars, while one lost nearly $24,000, police say.
Police have released photos of individuals wanted in connection to at least three thefts.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), or submit tips online at or on X by messaging or tagging @NYPDTips.
"I can't believe that I fell for this"
The most recent incident happened at a Citibank on East 86th Street.
Penny Zorn, 93, says she went to the ATM last Thursday to deposit checks, but when she entered her PIN, the machine didn't work.
"A man comes up to me and says, 'This machiney' — machiney — 'doesn't work. Let's try that one.' And he goes, puts in my card," she said.
But instead of putting in Zorn's real card, police say he swapped it with a fake.
"I looked around and [I thought] there was nobody watching me punch my numbers," she said. "I didn't see him and that's why I feel dumb."
When Zorn checked her account later, she saw that $1,500 had been stolen.
"I can't believe that I fell for this," she said.
Zorn says this incident is changing how she does her banking business.
"Be aware that people are doing this," she said. "I'm looking around. I'm making sure nobody is near me. And that's the best I can do."
