QUESTION
I made a wire transfer due to an email scam. I need legal counsel.
Asked on Mar 24th, 2017 on Criminal Law - New Jersey
More details to this question:
I was exchanging emails and having phone calls with my attorney and real estate broker on Monday about a house closing. On Tuesday 3/21 I got an email from my real estate broker asking me to wire the closing cost of about $114,000 to a title company's bank account. I had a few more emails with them and wired the money. On Wed my attorney called me and we realize that it was an email scam. So I asked the bank to put a re-call on that wire transfer, reported it to the local police, and called the receipant's bank for the fraud and asked them to put a froze on the account. I think either my real estate broker or my attorney's email was hacked that leads to the leak of information. I am not getting any resolution from either banks about this matter.
1 ANSWER
Anthony Van Zwaren
You should probably contact an attorney because you may have to file a petition to court to freeze any account connected with this fraudulent wire transfer, or perhaps your real estate attorney can assist. In addition to filing with the local police you should contact the county prosecutor and the Treasury Department, since this may be an inter-state fraud case. I had a case once myself where someone at the Essex County Clerk's office made a fraudulent check off my trust account check that I deposited with the clerk on a legal matter. Person tried to withdraw funds off my trust account, but fortunately was unable to because they were trying to withdraw too much. When I found out, I notified local police but also the local prosecutor's office who contacted the Essex County Prosecutor's office. Also notified the treasury department due to counterfeit check. We also contacted the specific bank where the thief had someone withdraw the funds. My money (some bank fees) were restored, so we didn't pursue it further. Obviously you will need to pursue this with the prosecutor and the State, if not the Treasury as well.
Answered on Mar 28th, 2017 at 11:59 AM