Police say there’s a scam going on in New York City involving Zelle and other payment apps — with a recent incident happening in Central Park.

Police say a woman was approached this past Tuesday afternoon near W 101st Street and West Drive by four people asking her for money for a basketball fundraiser.  She gave one person her phone to access her Zelle app — that’s when he attempted to transfer cash from her account to his account. 

But this isn’t an isolated incident. The NYPD says it’s a scam where people will ask for donations for sports teams or charities.  They’ll ask for payment via Zelle, Cash App or Venmo and then ask to see your phone to make the payment.  That’s when they transfer large amounts of money from your account to their account. 

The four suspects in the Central Park incident got away, but they’re wanted for attempted grand larceny. The NYPD says you should never give a stranger your phone and can set up transfer limits and bank alerts.  They say if you’re a victim of this crime you should report it to authorities.