Man Scammed Out Of $15K By 'Lawyer': Hopatcong Police

HOPATCONG, NJ — A Hopatcong man lost $15,000 in an email scam last month, Hopatcong police said. The good news? It could have been a lot more, if not for quick thinking on his bank's part.

The resident, who police did not name, was in the process of buying a house when he emailed who he thought was the seller's attorney. Unbeknownst to the man, the attorney's email had been hacked and he was actually speaking to a scammer.

During the conversation, the scammer told the man he should wire $45,000 to an address in South Africa.

"Right there this victim should have ended all conversations. But he didn't," Capt. Tom Kmetz said.

After the man questioned the address, the scammer told him to send a check to a Melynda Malloy in Derry, Pennsylvania.

Another person, using a Facebook account under the name of Jerry Freeman, told Malloy she should forward the check to Nigeria. Malloy deposited the $45,000, spent $15,000 and attempted to send the remaining $30,000 to Nigeria before the bank stopped it.

Kmetz shared these lesson he wants residents to take away from the situation:

• If you receive a check that you did not earn, you are involved in a scam
• If you are dealing with large sums of money, you better be sure you KNOW where it is going. Why on Gods green earth would you be sending a check to some woman in Derry P.A.?
• Never send money out of the U.S. unless you KNOW who it is going to. That does not mean someone told you so. It means that you mom lives in Ireland and you know you are sending her money.
• Most of all; Question everything. Be suspicious about everyone when it comes to your money....and dating.

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