³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø

³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Union Free School District
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES
75 WEST PERKAL STREET, BAY SHORE, NEW YORK, 11706
PHONE (631) 968-1115 FAX (631) 968-4131
 

October 6, 2022
 

Dear ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø-Brightwaters Community,

On Tuesday, October 4, 2022, the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø School District shared a safety alert with parents and staff members regarding a kidnapping scam. Information regarding this incident was reported to us by the parent of a student. The District has been in contact with the Suffolk County Police Department’s Third Precinct regarding the report. The safety of our students and staff remains a top priority. We urge parents and our community to be mindful of scams such as this one, and to notify the Suffolk County Police Department if they receive any calls or messages like the ones described in the alert.

As always, thank you for your support of our students and ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø.

Sincerely,
 

Steven J. Maloney, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Important Safety Alert: Kidnapping Scam

Recently, phone calls, text messages and emails from unknown individuals have been made to parents in neighboring school districts indicating their child has been or will be kidnapped. In most cases, the parent will confirm the child is completely safe once verification is made, such as by calling the school. 

Several variations of the reported scam are as follows: 

• A parent, guardian or close family member receives a call asserting their child (student) has been or will be kidnapped;

• A money demand is made for immediate ransom or fee to be paid;

• Immediate payment is demanded via a cash app, such as Zelle, Venmo, etc.;   

• Perpetrators are known to have placed unknown children on the phone pretending to be the kidnap victim. 

Recipients of such calls, text messages, or e-mails are urged to be extremely wary and immediately notify the Suffolk County Police Department via 911.

You are also urged to immediately contact your child’s school should you have any questions or concerns regarding the reported scam, especially in regard to the safety and welfare of your children.