Resident urges Tompkins County action after elderly residents hit by scams

An Ithaca resident told the Tompkins County Public Safety Committee on May 27 that several older residents have recently lost bank funds to text‑message and online scams, and he urged the county to expand public education and investigative coordination.

Zach Wynne said two elderly people he knows had credit cards and bank accounts drained after scams; he also described incidents in which older adults withdrew large sums of cash to buy gift cards and store clerks intervened and called police. Wynne said there are recurring reports of people going door to door claiming to represent NYSEG or a solar provider.

Wynne said conversations with the sheriff indicate there are no open investigations but that the pattern has persisted for years. He also told the committee that “last year, a Cornell student was arrested for engaging in a scam targeting an elderly person for about a hundred thousand dollars.” Wynne asked whether the county could do more to educate the public about common scam tactics and how to intervene, and whether additional law‑enforcement resources could be dedicated to investigating and coordinating with state or federal partners when scams originate outside the county.

The committee did not take action on the public comment during the meeting. Committee members later noted internal county resources: one legislator said the county IT department distributes weekly security tips and a “scam of the week” email, and another committee member noted the sheriff’s office will take reports and investigate identity‑theft complaints and can help victims with credit reporting steps.