KINGSTON – Ulster County District Attorney David Clegg and Orange County DA David Hoovler are teaming up with the state comptroller’s office to combat fraudsters and scammers that take advantage of the fears and vulnerabilities created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Clegg said there can be a more effective means of combatting those criminals by taking a regional approach and going forward, that could include other area counties.
“Jessica Schutzman is in my office and she has contacts over in Dutchess County so we will be speaking to them,” he said. “We will certainly branch out and talk to people from Columbia and Greene and Delaware and Sullivan and try to make sure we are all working in the same direction.”
Hoovler said people, in particular seniors “must be more cautious than ever about unsolicited offers related to the pandemic.” He said as always is the case, “if an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
“Taking advantage of a pandemic to commit fraud is reprehensible,” said State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
Clegg said his office has already received “a few dozen complaints” about frauds related to COVID-19.
