Man Falls Prey to Potential Mail Order Scam

A Hopatcong resident may have fallen prey to a mail order scam, and police are alerting residents to be cautious of potential employment opportunities that could be illegal.

On May 17, the male resident, whose name is being withheld, was hired by Accutech Electrronics conducting business at technogoods.com, Lt. Thomas Kmetz said. The resident’s job was to receive packages from the company and forward them to a final destination, Kmetz said.

The packages were required to be sent overseas to multiple countries, and began as smaller, less expensive items that began increasing in value, Kmetz said.

Suspicious arose when the post office called the resident to say a package he attempted shipping was not paid for, and would cost $78, Kmetz said. The post office told the resident the entire operation may be a scam, Kmetz said.

On May 31, the resident received a diamond ring and pearl earrings from Kay Jewelers, Kmetz said. He then contacted the jeweler to tell them of the possible scam, who asked the man to return the goods and not notify the police, Kmetz said.

The resident then reported the incident to police, Kmetz said, and discontinued his relationship with the mail order company.

Newark’s Postal Inspector Gonzalez said the entire operation was likely fraudulent and being done by people outside the country using stolen credit cards.