Area resident alerts police to mail scam
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer

A 77-year-old resident of Freehold Borough was the intended victim of a flim-flam scam on June 27. The resident''s assessment of the situation likely prevented him from being taken advantage of.

According to Freehold Borough police Lt. Glenn Roberts, the incident was reported by the resident on June 27 when he came to police headquarters to question a notification he received in the mail stating that he was a winner in a Canad-ian lottery.

Roberts said that the resident received the notification from the Sun Trust Finance Group informing him that he had won a prize of $450,000.

Along with the notification, the resident received a check from Sun Trust Finance Group for $4,700.

The resident was instructed to deposit the $4,700 check into his bank account. He was told that he had to deposit the $4,700 check in order to claim his $450,000 prize. He was instructed to call Sun Trust Finance Group after he had deposited the check.

The resident brought all of the information to police. Freehold Borough Detective Michael Giglio then called Sun Trust Finance Group to ask some questions and to find out more details about the lottery.

According to Roberts, Giglio talked with several people before he reached the actual agent for the transaction. One person hung up on Giglio when the detective began to ask too many questions.

Roberts described the interaction between Giglio and the agent as the final scam. Giglio, who spoke on the resident's behalf, was told to send a $2,800 money order to the agent who was listed on the form.

According to what the detective was told, after the agent received the $2,800 money order, the resident would be forwarded his $450,000 prize.

"By the time that $4,700 check is processed and it bounces, it's too late. You've already lost the $2,800" that you paid for the money order, Roberts said.

Roberts said all of the information relating to this case has been forwarded to the FBI. He said scams such as this often target older adults.

"We see this all the time, both on the phone and through the mail," Roberts said. "Any time you hear that you've won something over the phone or though the mail, especially if you did not apply for it, a red flag should go up.

"When you are told that you have won a huge amount of money but you need to send money in order to claim your prize, you must be wary that this is probably not a legitimate offer," he said.

Roberts said residents should notify police immediately and never send any money without first consulting police.