Upper Bucks County woman loses nearly $49,000 in phone scam

An upper Bucks County woman was scammed out of nearly $49,000 last week, according to police.

State police said in a news release that a 69-year-old Haycock Township woman contacted police Thursday night after she transferred the funds.

She told police someone she believed to be from her bank called her claiming to be from the fraud department. The caller told the woman to go to a nearby bank and transfer $48,500 to an account provided by the caller, which she did, according to the release.

The caller also asked her to transfer $399 through the money transfer application Venmo, for an Etsy purchase, which she also did.

In total, she lost $48,899. Anyone with information is asked to contact state police in Dublin, Bucks County.

In recent years, phone scams have become more common in Pennsylvania. Over the summer, Lehigh County Sheriff Joseph Hanna warned residents that scammers were impersonating his office to trick people out of their money.

Residents had reported receiving phone calls from people representing themselves as deputies, detectives or other members of the Lehigh County sheriff’s office.

State Treasurer Stacy Garrity said in a news release Friday that some scammers are calling residents who have applied for a property tax or rental rebate and asking for bank account information to steal personal information.

The caller will claim to be from the Treasury and ask for a bank account number so the rebate payment can be made through direct deposit. She encouraged residents who may have received a call like that to verify it with the Treasury.

Lehigh County sheriff urges caution after increase in phone scams