Scammers pleading for donations target victims near NYU, stealing $3.5K in string of robberies: cops

A trio of scammers made off with $3,500 in a recent string of robberies near New York University – in one case pleading with a 14-year-old boy for donations to a sports team before ripping him off, cops and sources said.The crooked crew came up to the teen on Broadway near East 8th Street around 2 p.m.on Christmas Eve, and said their team was in need of donations, according to authorities and law-enforcement sources. They then threatened him before using an app on his phone to send themselves a transfer of $350, cops said. The fraudsters ran off and are believed to have struck next on Jan.

8, this time targeting a 19-year-old man at East 4th Street and Broadway around 12:50 p.m., cops said. They asked to exchange some cash with the victim before walking with him to an ATM, where he withdrew $1,400, authorities said. The suspects grabbed the money and fled on foot, heading south on Broadway. In another stick-up, at around 2:30 p.m.Jan.

11, the crooks approached a 23-year-old man on Astor Place near Lafayette Street and asked for donations, authorities said. They threatened the victim before demanding that he withdraw $800 from an ATM — and also used an app on his phone to send a money transfer of $1,000, cops said. The swindlers grabbed the cash and bolted, heading west on Waverly Place, authorities said. No injuries were reported in any of the three robberies, authorities said. The NYPD released photos of the still-at-large suspects, seen bundled up in hoodies or winter coats, on Wednesday.Anyone with information regarding these incidents is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, on X @NYPDTips....