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Press Release 11-29-22 Bail Scam
Press Release 11-29-22 Bail Scam
On Monday, November 21, 2022 the Wayne Police Department received a call
from the adult child of two (2) elderly Wayne residents reporting that her parents
were currently at the bank to withdraw funds to provide to a scammer. According
to this caller, her parents were currently on the phone with the scammer and
were planning to go back to their home in order for cash to be picked up by an
“attorney” to provide bail for their grandchild who had allegedly been involved in
a car accident in New York City where a pregnant woman was involved and lost
her baby. Furthermore, according to the caller, her parents had already provided
a significant amount of cash to this caller via two (2) previous pickups earlier in
the day and they were kept on the phone in order for this scam to continue
undetected by family or law enforcement.
Members of the Wayne Police Department Detective Bureau and Patrol Division
responded to the area of the home and set up surveillance in an attempt to
apprehend the individual(s) who would arrive at the home to retrieve the money.
One member of the Detective Bureau met the family in the home to ensure their
safety and to provide direction on how to handle the conversation with the
scammer. The scammer provided direction to place the money in an envelope
and leave it in the mailbox of the home so that it could be retrieved by a courier.
Hours later a BMW SUV bearing New York license plates and dark, tinted windows
arrived in the front of the residence and stayed parked on the street. A short time
later, a male exited the passenger side of the suspect vehicle and walked directly
to the mailbox and retrieved the envelope that was placed by the victim. At this
time, officers involved in the operation converged on the scene and took the
driver, Mr. Ernis Nusevic, and passenger, Mr. Lenny Gomez, into custody.
Arrested were: Mr. Ernis Nusevic (age 18, Yonkers, New York) and Mr. Lenny
Gomez (age 26, Bronx, New York). Both were charged with Conspiracy and
Criminal Attempt to commit Theft by Deception, both crimes of the 3rd degree.
They were both later released from the Wayne Police Department with
summonses to appear at the Passaic County Superior Court at a later date, in
accordance with the New Jersey Bail Reform laws.
These charges are merely accusations and both subjects are assumed to be
innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Wayne Police Department would like to warn residents that this
“Grandparent Bail Scam” is a common phone scam where callers will advise a
victim that a loved one was involved in some type of legal trouble and that they
need to provide cash for bail for this person. This scam frequently targets elderly
residents who are particularly vulnerable and trusting of the callers.
If any person is called by someone purporting to be judge, prosecutor, attorney or
bail bondsman who claims that a family member has been arrested, take the time
to independently verify this information by calling that person or another family
member directly before providing any information or money. Often times, the
scammer will immediately end the phone call once being advised that the victim
wants to verify this information on their own. A primary activity of the scam is to
keep the victim on the phone for the entire time, up until the money is pickup up,
in order to ensure that the victim is not advising any family or law enforcement of
the scam. Immediately call the local police department if you believe that you or a
family member has been, or is currently being, victimized by this scam.