FRAUDS BUREAU

FRAUDS BUREAU

The Frauds Bureau investigates and prosecutes a wide variety of white-collar crimes, from scams targeting immigrants, seniors, and homeowners, to wage theft and other crimes against workers, to healthcare schemes that defraud public programs and divert resources from people who truly need help. Protecting Brooklyn residents from all manner of fraud and scams is an essential part of protecting public safety.

Types of fraud and scams to be aware of:

• Companies, organizations, or individuals who falsely represent themselves as “attorneys,” “lawyers,” “notaries,” “immigration specialists” or “public officials,” and purport to give legal advice or promise to process immigration paperwork.
• Individuals who falsely promise for a fee to sponsor work visas or to provide employment training.
• Advance fee scams targeting immigrants who seek employment.
• Individuals who pretend to be law enforcement agents, such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and say they can provide or obtain special treatment or services.
• The production and purchase of false documents, including state identifications, social security cards, driver’s licenses, and passports.
• Financial and investment scams such as pyramid schemes.
• Construction companies that fail to maintain a safe workplace causing injury to their workers and who fail to pay their workers the lawful minimum salary.
• Individuals who falsely promise health care enrollment assistance.
• Individuals or businesses that offer housing and other services but just take your money and then disappear.
• Individuals who target homeowners by stealing their deeds.
• Individuals who target our seniors through a variety of scams.

CyberCrimes

The Cybercrimes Unit investigates and prosecutes fraud connected to computer devices, such as identity theft, business email compromises, and unauthorized intrusion (“hacking”). The unit also focuses on internet-related fraud, such as e-scams, scams involving crypto-currency, and schemes related to online payments.

Healthcare Fraud

The Health Care Fraud Unit investigates fraud in Medicaid, Medicare, and other health insurance plans, including in managed health care organizations. The unit investigates and prosecutes fraud committed by providers (such as doctors billing for services not performed and pharmacists who bill for medication that was not dispensed), as well as fraud committed by recipients of public benefits (such as fraud involving Medicaid and food stamps).

Construction Crimes and Labor Fraud

The Labor Fraud Unit investigates and prosecutes employers and others who commit fraud against workers and the programs that are in place to protect them. These investigations include: wage theft, prevailing wage theft, and fatalities or injuries to workers in which the harm to the worker is the result of criminal negligence or recklessness, on the part of the employer.

Real Estate Fraud

The Real Estate Fraud Unit investigates and prosecutes fraud related to real property, including deed fraud, mortgage fraud, and foreclosure rescue schemes, as well as fraud related to landlord-tenant relationships. Read more about how you can protect yourself from Deed Fraud.

Deed Fraud

Deed Fraud is a serious crime that occurs when a con artist files a phony deed with the City, which falsely states that your property has been transferred to someone else.

The con artist will often then try to sell your property to an unsuspecting buyer or take out a mortgage against your property. For more information on how to avoid Deed Fraud, click HERE.