CPD Warns Public of Common Holiday Themed Scams
As the holiday season and shopping begins, potential criminals will look to perpetrate scams against shoppers and donors. The scams involve online shopping, charity, cryptocurrency investment, gift cards and social media.
Online shopping schemes include fraudulent websites or ads offering goods at unrealistic discounts, items purchased through third-party marketplaces using stolen credit cards or accounts and puppy scams involving fake advertisements for pets.
People should be on the lookout for fake charities soliciting donations through phone calls, emails, crowdfunding platforms, and social media. Also, copycat organizations create seemingly legitimate charities to steal funds.
Gift card scams involve requests for gift card purchases for alleged emergencies, work-related functions, or as payment, or tampered cards with compromised security stickers or altered barcodes.
Social media scams include posts offering fake gift cards or event tickets designed to steal personal information, or fraudsters duplicating ticket barcodes for resale.
Renovated Foundry Building to Reopen this Fall as Center for Creativity and Collaboration
The transformation of the historic Foundry Building at 101 Rogers Street is nearing completion following COVID related construction delays and is expected to open this fall. This massive brick building, originally constructed as an iron foundry in 1889, is an adaptive reuse project that will reopen as a self-sustaining center for creativity and collaboration for the Cambridge community.
4 Mellen Street Affordable Housing Application Information Session
The application period for Homeowners Rehab Inc. (HRI)’s 29-unit affordable development at 4 Mellen Street in Cambridge is now open. Click here to fill out the application online. Physical applications are available at the following locations:
810 Memorial Drive, #200, Cambridge, MA 02139
City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139
City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139
Multi-Service Center, 362 Green St, Cambridge, MA 02139
Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139
Completed applications can be returned to HRI as follows:
Online: https://waitlistcheck.com/MA3398
By Email: FourMellen@Wingatecompanies.com
By Mail: 810 Memorial Drive, #200, Cambridge, MA 02139
Applications are available from June 1, 2026 to July 31, 2026 at 5 p.m. with a lottery to be held August 13th, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. via Teams. Applicants are not required to attend the lottery.
To learn more about the application and lottery process, please attend one of the upcoming information sessions:
In person: Thursday, June 11, 2026 from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at 810 Memorial Drive, 3rd Floor, Cambridge MA 02139
Online via Teams: Tuesday, July 7, 2026 from 6 – 7:30 p.m. Teams Meeting link: https://shorturl.at/BxHwS
For more information about this project, please visit https://linktr.ee/FourMellen.
For information about eligibility or the application process, please contact HRI at (617) 693-0981or email FourMellen@wingatecompanies.com.