When an Upper East Sider named Lauren Grasso was taking a walk through Central Park in late July, she was approached by two boys who, according to the New York Post — which first reported this story — appeared to be no older than ten.
The boys told Grasso they were lost and asked to borrow her phone so they could call their mom. So she lent it to them.
But instead of calling mom for help, they found Grasso’s Venmo app and sent themselves $1,000 from it.
When Grasso went to the 19th Precinct to report the incident, officers reportedly told her they’d received two similar complaints that day. But as it was out of the 19th Precinct’s jurisdiction, the officers sent her to the Central Park Precinct, where Grasso was apparently told it was her fault for lending strangers her phone. They eventually took her report, but the boys appear to be at large amid an ongoing investigation.
Venmo ultimately gave Grasso her money back.
Hope the kids are caught. Along those lines — wouldn’t it be fairly simple to trace them by the Venmo transfer (which involves a bank account on both sides)? PS Props to Venmo for reimbursing the woman.