Arrest made in elder scam, Nassau police say

A 95-year-old grandmother lost $40,500 to a scam artist who claimed the cash was needed to bail out a grandson after his arrest, Nassau County police said Thursday.

Misael Romero, 27, of Manhattan, was arrested in Farmingdale and charged with attempted grand larceny on Wednesday after someone made an additional demand for cash, this time for $14,000 — and he showed up, police said.

For the last several years, elected officials, prosecutors, police, utilities and senior advocates have warned that this type of hoax is on the rise, urging seniors to contact them if they receive demands for cash or gift cards from individuals who say their relatives have been arrested.

In this case, Nassau police said the grandmother first was contacted on Monday by someone who said he was her grandson and who instructed her to hand $8,500 in cash to someone who would pick it up.

She did so. The next day she was asked for $12,000 and then $20,000 — and she again gave an unknown man that money on two occasions, police said.

Realizing she had been scammed, the woman then contacted the police. When the fourth demand for cash was made on Wednesday, police said they set up a "controlled delivery" and arrested Romero. His arraignment in Nassau First District Court was continued Thursday until Sept. 11 with a temporary restraining order issued against him, according to court records.

Romero is represented by the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County, but his specific atttorney was not listed in court records.

Anyone who might help investigators should call Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 800-244-TIPS. Calls are confidential.