Weird NJ Facebook Page Hacked; Company ‘Unresponsive’ (Updated)

NEW JERSEY — UPDATE: Weird NJ reported Tuesday that it has regained control of its original Facebook page. Our original article follows below.

Are you a fan of Weird NJ? It’s time to mark down a new Facebook page, its founders announced last weekend.

According to an update from the Weird NJ website:

“We regret to inform you that the Weird NJ Facebook page has been hacked. Mark Sceurman and Mark Moran, the only two authorized administrators of the page, have been removed and can no longer manage what is posted or access any of the site’s messages. We have made multiple requests of Facebook to intervene and do something to remedy the situation, but unfortunately our complaints have thus far gone completely unacknowledged. We have no idea who the hijacker is, or what their motive may be – so far they have posted nothing but links to some sham blog, presumably of their own making. We will keep you informed when and if the situation is resolved.”

Sceurman and Moran said that fans should visit the “new and official” Weird NJ Facebook page, which can be seen here.

The new Weird NJ page also had a message about the social media hijacking:

“Hello folks, and greetings from Weird NJ! If you're seeing this message it means that you probably know about the hijacking of our old Facebook page. Yes, sadly some schmuck hacked into the page that we had been building for the last dozen years to communicate with our friends like you. Now those 126,000 followers are in the hands of some unknown and unscrupulous person, who is posting nonsense under the Weird NJ banner. Though we have tried desperately to reclaim the page, Facebook has been totally unresponsive to our appeals for help. Nevertheless, we have started this page to continue to stay in touch with the faithful and keep you posted on all that is weird in this great and strange state of ours. So, it looks like we're back to square one – but new beginnings are always exciting and refreshing!”

The hacking on Facebook comes just a month after Sceurman and Moran announced that Sony Pictures Television has purchased the rights to the Weird NJ magazines and broader Weird U.S franchise for development as a live-action horror-comedy series.

“We gave the writers 30 years of collected material to choose from to help inspire the writing of the program,” Moran previously told Patch. “So far, we've only seen the first draft of the pilot episode though, and that is still a work in progress. So, which Weird NJ tales, people and places might eventually make their way into the final scripts is still up in the air. But there is certainly no lack of good strange stories and downright weirdness to draw from, that's for sure.”

• See related article: Weird NJ Is About To Become A TV Show – Strangeness Pays Off

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