Residents in Milford, New Hampshire getting charged for phones they didn't order in new scam
Residents in Milford, New Hampshire have found themselves on the receiving end of a scam that charges them for cellphones they didn't order.
"They're fraudulently getting people's personal information, they're using that and their credit card information to purchase cellphones," said Milford Police Capt. Shawn Pelletier.
Scammers order then steal phones from doorsteps
When the cellphone gets shipped to the residence with a stolen address, police said the scammers are already following the delivery truck and then grab the package when it's delivered. The phones are then sold or used for criminal means.
"They're basically getting it for free," said Pelletier. "So they'll take that cellphone, maybe sell it, they'll make profit off it that way. And it's not just a delivery to one house, it could be 20 deliveries to different residences."
And it's those residents who are on the hook for the phone payment. One homeowner, who didn't want to be identified, said she doesn't know how scammers got her information.
"I just got emails, I have no idea," said the woman. "Samsung, AT&T, I was getting these orders."
Concern about possible interactions
Police worry the delivery could escalate if someone is actually home and retrieved the package ahead of the thieves. It's already happened but no one has been harmed.
"The person shows up to retrieve that package and somebody's home. There's a conversation at the door could make for a dangerous situation, so we're hoping that doesn't happen," said Pelletier.
Another woman in a Milford neighborhood said she got the police warning, making her even more vigilant about personal information and safety.
"People have been doing scams for a long time, it's been a thing. It's what you decide to do with your information," she said.
Police said catching the thieves is hard since they're often long gone with little descriptive information to follow.
