NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman issued a warning Monday to tenants of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village in Manhattan about a possible scam related to a recent rent-rebate settlement.
Under the terms of a Nov. 30 settlement, approximately $69 million will be returned to Stuyvesant Town tenants who were overcharged for rent between 2003 and 2011.
Last week, several tenants received alleged scam calls about the settlement. The callers requested personal information in relation to the multi-million settlement. Schneiderman issued an open letter to the tenants, warning them against providing information to unknown callers.
"My office will not stand by as con men prey on hard-working tenants, and we will take action if New Yorkers have been ripped off," Schneiderman said. "I commend those who reported this for coming forward and encourage other tenants - and all New Yorkers - to be careful when providing personal information over the phone. Together we will fight back against bottom-feeders who seek to take advantage of the public."
On Dec. 11, New York City Councilmember Daniel Garodnick told Schneiderman's office about several Stuyvesant Town tenants who received calls from individuals claiming to be claims administrators of the settlement.
The callers tried to solicit personal information from the tenants. Schneiderman's office determined that the calls were not from anyone legitimately affiliated with the settlement and were part of a scam designed to get tenants to disclose highly personal information to fraudsters.
N.Y. AG warns of settlement scam
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