Hingham, MA - An elderly woman fell victim to an email phishing scam and mailed over $15,000 overnight to the scammers.
On April 6, 2025 an 88 year old resident reported the scam to police. The woman showed an email she received on March 21 titled "Federal Trade Commission" with a name and a direct phone number for a "Litigation Officer". Included in the email were tips about fraud prevention and information about the Federal Reserve System which appeared to be copied from the actual federal websites to make it appear more legitimate.
The resident called the phone number in the email and the scammer said the residents' daughter was in "financial trouble" and she could help rectify the situation by sending money. The scammer said if she sends money to him, we will transfer it to into her daughters account to bring in back in good standing. The resident got a treasurers check for $15,500 from her local Hingham bank and mailed it overnight from a UPS Store. She was told to make the check out to a woman and mail it to an address in Illinois. It was cashed the next day.
As with all scams, awareness and education are the most effective ways to prevent someone becoming a victim. Please a conversation about this scam or share this info with family members. As a reminder, we take only take police reports when a person losses money or their personal information (bank account numbers, Social Security Numbers, credit card numbers, etc.) have been given out. Scam attempts (by email, phone or text) happen daily to everyone. Just delete, block them or ignore them. ### Contact P.I.O. Lt. Steven Dearth