$49,000 stolen from an elderly Melville man in scam recovered, police say

Detectives recovered $49,000 stolen from an elderly Long Islander through an online and telephone scam, Suffolk County police said Friday night.

Suffolk police said that on Wednesday, an 89-year-old Melville man called a telephone number he found on the internet to help him with computer password troubles. Police said the person who answered the phone convinced the man, who police did not identify, that his bank accounts had been hacked.

The victim was then told to remove his money from the bank, police said. He was instructed to lie about the reason for withdrawing the money, according to a police news release. The victim was told that bank officials were involved in the theft, police said.

The Melville man visited two different Bank of America branches — removing $28,000 from one and $21,000 from another — and told bank employees he needed the money to purchase a car, according to police.

After the 89-year-old returned home, police said a man came to his residence on foot and asked for the money. The victim then took photos of this man before handing him two envelopes containing the $49,000.

Suffolk detectives with the financial crimes unit identified and spoke to the man who took the cash-filled envelopes. After speaking with detectives, he turned himself in — along with all the stolen cash — at the Third Precinct on Friday at approximately 7 p.m., police said. Police identified this man only as a Flushing resident, as no charges have been filed against him as of Friday. A police department spokesperson said detectives were still investigating the Flushing man’s involvement in the incident, as well as whether there are more individuals behind the scam.

Police said the money will be returned to the victim.

The financial crimes investigation remains ongoing. Anyone who believes they are a victim of this scam is encouraged to contact Suffolk County Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit at 631-852-6821 or Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS.