BRIEF: Nursing home resident in Derry falls victim to utility scam

Aug. 18--A resident of a Derry Township nursing home was swindled out of $4,000 this month in a utility bill scam.

State police said the resident received phone calls from someone claiming to represent an electric company and demanding payment on an overdue bill.

The victim, who resides at Crest Personal Care Home, provided the caller gift card numbers over the phone.

"The victim gave the suspect $4,000 before she realized it was a scam," Trooper Benjamin Eakin wrote in a police report.

Police urged anyone with information about the incident to call them at 724-832-3288.

Paul Peirce is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-850-2860, ppeirce@tribweb.com or via Twitter @ppeirce_trib.

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