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Wire Fraud Scam Targeting New Homeowners

CAPE MAY COUNTY, N.J. (CBS)—The Cape May County Prosecutor's Office is warning residents about a wire fraud scam impacting the entire county.

Authorities say hackers are targeting people closing on a settlement of a home.

It's believed that during the course of a closing of a settlement, the person closing on a home will receive a phishing email. Authorities say the email allows a virus to be placed on the user's computer and the hacker then proceeds to monitor the activity on that computer.

"During the transaction, it will alert the hacker and prompt the hacker to begin exploiting the data on the computer," says the prosecutor's office. "A fraudulent email address is then created that appears almost identical to the email it is impersonating, and the hacker begins communications with the involved parties, instructing them to change the payment methods in the settlement to a wire transfer. The transfer of money from the settlement is then wired to a fraudulent account."

Several incidents of this nature have been reported in the county to date.

Anyone who has information concerning this type of scam is asked to call the  Cape May County Prosecutor's Office at 609-465-1135

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