Lexington police log: Fraud, animal control

The Lexington Police Department updates its incident log on Monday mornings. LexObserver coverage represents a sampling of significant incidents and is not an exhaustive list. The full log can be viewed publicly at: https://www.lexingtonma.gov/489/Weekly-Police-Logs.

The following incidents, selected from the Lexington Police Department logs, occurred during the week prior to March 20, 2023.

Assisting the Fire Department

Monday, March 13 at 8 a.m., the Police Department responded to and assisted in extricating a worker stuck in an elevator at Bridges at Lexington on Watertown Street.

Wednesday, March 15 at 10:25 a.m., the Police Department responded to and assisted at the scene of a downed wire on Hayes Lane and Vine Street. A trash truck had taken down the electrical service from pole 81 connecting to a Hayes Lane residence. National Grid was notified to respond; the Lexington Electrical Inspector, Eversource and DPW were also on scene.

*In addition to these incidents, the Police Department assisted the Fire Department at 15 calls requiring medical response and/or assistance.

Fraud

Monday, March 13 at 12:15 p.m., an Adams Street resident reported she had received an e-mail at 11 a.m. from an unknown individual claiming to be from the Geek Squad requesting $396.99 for Internet security software. Prior to calling the police, this resident called Best Buy and confirmed that the e-mail received was not from the Geek Squad as it was fraudulent. She blocked the e-mail address and then deleted it. She did not remember the email address this originated from. She did not provide any information to the unknown individual and reports no money loss. She wanted the fraudulent e-mail address reported to the police for informational awareness. She was then advised regarding online scams and fraudulent emails.

Monday, March 13 at 2 p.m., a Massachusetts Avenue resident came into the police station to report the theft of his cryptocurrency. According to this resident, he purchased $23,000 worth of cryptocurrency in July 2020. The cryptocurrency was stolen and transferred to another digital wallet sometime in April 2022. He discovered the theft on March 6, 2023, when he attempted to sell some of the cryptocurrency.

Tuesday, March 14 at 6:10 p.m., a Massachusetts Avenue resident came to the police station to report larceny on his Bank of America credit card. In an attempt to contact Amazon for assistance with his television, this resident provided an unknown party with his credit card number.

Tuesday, March 14 at 10 p.m., a Woburn Street resident came into the police station reporting her personal information had been stolen. She applied for a TSA global entry on Jan. 22, 2023. She then received an e-mail on March 7, 2023, from an account (immigration@globaltraveler.us.com) claiming to be U.S. Customs and Border Protection with a link to fill in her personal information including MA license number, U.S. passport number, and date of birth. A charge of $260.00 was posted to her Barclays Bank credit card.

This e-mail further stated she had an appointment with U.S. Customs and Border Protection regarding her Global Entry at 5 p.m. on March 13. When she arrived at Logan International Airport’s terminal E for the appointment, a CBP Officer informed her that they had no information about her appointment. When looking into her global entry application, they discovered she had been the victim of fraud. Customs and Border Protection stated they were investigating the matter. This resident was also advised to contact the MA RMV to inform them her license number had been compromised and to do the same with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security regarding her passport. She is currently in the process of contacting the bank to resolve the charge.

Thursday, March 16 at 10:20 a.m., a York Street resident called and reported a fraudulent loan in the amount of $9,700 was taken out under his name on Aug. 3, 2020. This resident received a letter in the mail from the United States Small Business Administration inquiring about the overdue loan payments. He is in the process of filing paperwork to dispute this fraudulent loan. He was advised to put a watch on all his finances through credit reporting agencies.

Thursday, March 16 at 4 p.m., a Bedford Street resident came into the station and reported a check he sent out for payment was taken and altered. The officer spoke with this resident who gave him a timeline of events. TD Bank fraud operations is involved and $8,000 is being credited back to the account.

Saturday, March 18 at 3 p.m., a Concord Avenue resident walked into the station to report that his signature was used on a document with a contractor who has performed work on his home. He states he is not out of any money at this time but wishes to make proper notification to the police regarding this incident. He has been advised to contact his bank and one of the major credit reporting agencies.

Animal Control/Complaint

Wednesday, March 15 at 5:22 p.m., a Turning Mill Road resident reported that while jogging on Partridge Road, she was accosted by two dogs. She stated that the dogs were unleashed but accompanied by a teenager carrying leashes. Upon arrival, the officer could not locate the dogs or the owner of the dogs. The officer requested that dispatch check dog licenses in the area of Partridge Road to see if the owner could be found. The subsequent check of dog licenses located two dogs matching the description of the dogs that had charged at the Turning Mill Road resident while walking on Partridge Road. The officer located and spoke with all parties involved and informed them that the Animal Control Officer would be doing a follow-up.

Thursday, March 16 at 4:05 p.m., a Lincoln Street resident reported a dog missing in the area of Lincoln Street and Hobbs Brook Lane. The dog’s description was that of a black and brown lab mix. The dog was walking in the middle of the street and appeared to need medical attention. A police unit picked up the dog from Lincoln Street at Dunkin’ Donuts. The officer took the dog to the Lexington Veterinary Clinic to see if the dog was microchipped. The Animal Control Officer was notified, and the dog was brought to Woburn Veterinary Referral Hospital on Cabot Road in Woburn via police car for evaluation. The officer was advised by Animal Control that the dog should be examined before being sheltered in order to avoid any medical crises while in the department’s care. The dog was posted on the department’s social media page, and the dog’s owner became aware of the post and contacted the police department. The dog was reunited with its owner, and she stated that the dog had a kidney condition that contributed to its physical appearance.

Friday, March 17 at 10:05 a.m., a McKeever Drive resident stated that while out on a walk an unleashed canine ran after her and her dog. The responding officer reports speaking to the caller who was unharmed and was concerned about a loose dog in the area due to her dog’s involvement in a prior dog vs. dog altercation. The officer located the loose dog trailing its leash and brought it to the kennel where it was handed off to the Animal Control Officer. The ACO provided shelter, food and water to the dog.

SUGGESTIONS FROM AARP’S FRAUD PREVENTION CHECKLIST FROM THE APRIL 2022 ISSUE OF THE AARP BULLETIN. During the next few weeks, I’ll provide simple fraud prevention tips from this checklist. The AARP Fraud Watch Network helpline is a free service. Call: 877-908-3360 to speak with a trained fraud specialist.     

TIP 3: Add phone log-in protections. From the Pew Research Center: “A Pew survey showed that more than one in four smartphone users did not have a barrier to keep others from using their devices. Make sure you have a passcode, facial ID’s, or finger scan enabled on your phone.”

You’ll find a variety of security options under Settings on your smartphone. *Choose an option that you’ll find easy to remember and use it.