- The Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday that it recovered more than $115,000 from a 64-year-old Salisbury Township man in an online real estate transaction this year.
- The victim was led by the scammer to believe the email was from a legitimate rights company he was using
- Scams like this usually target the elderly
SALISBURY TWP., Pa. — Imagine the sinking feeling you felt when you learned you had been scammed out of more than $115,000.
And imagine my relief when, less than a month later, I learned that these funds had been recovered.
A 180-degree emotional shift was experienced earlier this year by a 64-year-old Salisbury Township man who was scammed in a fraudulent online real estate transaction.
It turned out that the Capital One account the victims were directed to send money to was not affiliated with the title agency and had been frozen by Texas authorities for similar fraudulent activity.
Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office News Release
The victim told Salisbury County Police Detective Deano Levis on March 16 that he was looking to buy property in Florida, according to a Monday news release from the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office.
The victim’s name is being withheld to protect her identity from future scammers, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement, adding that the sale of the home was done through a legitimate title company.
The scammers then contacted him using an email address similar to the title company and provided instructions on how to wire $115,214.67 in closing costs.
The victim contacted their bank with the details of the transfer to their Capital One account, and the transfer was successfully completed.
However, the fraud was discovered before the funds could be removed from the Capital One account.
On April 23, Reavis learned that his Capital One account was not associated with a title agency and had been frozen by Texas authorities for similar fraudulent activity.
Lehigh County Chief Deputy District Attorney Joseph R. Stauffer approved the search warrant, which ultimately resulted in the return of the victim’s funds from the frozen account.
The name on the Capital One account is fraudulent and remains under investigation by law enforcement agencies in various jurisdictions.
Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin reminded the public that fraud schemes are rampant and many perpetrators target older adults.
Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office News Release
Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin praised Revis and Stauffer’s quick action in resolving the issue.
Mr Martin also reminded the public that fraud schemes are rampant and many perpetrators target the elderly.
The Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office Elder Abuse Task Force can be reached at 610-782-3700.
