Officers with the Westminster Police Department helped a victim recover $45,000 after a suspicious rideshare request launched an investigation.
On April 28, an Uber driver was on the way to pick up a rider but received a message asking him to deliver a package instead. When he arrived, someone placed a package in his car and walked away. Sensing something wasn’t right, the driver trusted his instincts and canceled the ride. Uber later confirmed it matched a known scam and the driver reported it to our agency (thank you!).
Our officers quickly discovered a victim had already been scammed into sending $25,000 in cash through the Uber request, plus another $20,000 via FedEx. Thanks to some quick-thinking officers, we intercepted the other shipment, recovered the full $45,000, and returned it to the victim the very same day.
Great teamwork and a good reminder to watch out for scams. NEVER give out personal information or send money to someone you don't know. You can report suspicious activity by calling our non-emergency dispatch at 303-658-4360.
More information about scams can be found on our website: https://www.westminsterco.gov/181/Crime-Prevention
On April 28, an Uber driver was on the way to pick up a rider but received a message asking him to deliver a package instead. When he arrived, someone placed a package in his car and walked away. Sensing something wasn’t right, the driver trusted his instincts and canceled the ride. Uber later confirmed it matched a known scam and the driver reported it to our agency (thank you!).
Our officers quickly discovered a victim had already been scammed into sending $25,000 in cash through the Uber request, plus another $20,000 via FedEx. Thanks to some quick-thinking officers, we intercepted the other shipment, recovered the full $45,000, and returned it to the victim the very same day.
Great teamwork and a good reminder to watch out for scams. NEVER give out personal information or send money to someone you don't know. You can report suspicious activity by calling our non-emergency dispatch at 303-658-4360.
More information about scams can be found on our website: https://www.westminsterco.gov/181/Crime-Prevention