BARNEGAT – A township resident nearly lost $95,000 in a sophisticated computer scam but quick action by local police and federal partners helped recover the money before it was gone.
According to Barnegat Police, the resident reported the incident to Patrolman Boyle on November 2 after realizing he had been scammed. The victim said that while using his computer on October 30, a pop-up message appeared claiming his device was infected with malware and urging him to call a phone number for help.
When he called, the person on the line gained remote access to his computer and convinced him that a large sum of money had been mistakenly deposited into his account. The scammer then directed him to purchase a cashier’s check for $95,000 and send it through UPS to an address in Queens, New York.
After the resident contacted police, Patrolman Boyle and Detective Armstrong immediately launched an investigation. Working with a U.S. Postal Inspector and a UPS Area Security Manager, authorities were able to track down the package within hours.
The check was located at a UPS facility in Queens and safely returned to the victim that same evening.
“This swift teamwork prevented a major financial loss,” police said in a statement, thanking the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, and UPS Security for their after-hours assistance.
Barnegat Police urged residents to be cautious about online scams, reminding the public never to send money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency to unknown individuals. “If something feels suspicious, talk to a family member or call the Barnegat Police Department,” officials advised.
