Berkeley Township, NJ – A township resident lost thousands of dollars in a phishing scam after receiving a fraudulent email claiming to be from Norton Anti-Virus, police said.
The woman told officers she believed the message was legitimate because she uses Norton’s service and thought her subscription was due for renewal.
She later discovered the email was part of a scam that directed her to purchase gift cards while remaining on the phone with the perpetrators.
Key Points
- Victim received a fake Norton Anti-Virus renewal email on October 27.
- Scammers convinced her to buy $2,000 in CVS gift cards.
- Chase Bank and Berkeley Township Police are investigating.
Scammers claimed to refund “overpayment”
According to Patrolman Evan Burton, who handled the report, the scammers told the victim that $2,000 had been mistakenly deposited into her Chase Bank account. They instructed her to buy gift cards to return the funds, all while keeping her on the line.
After the purchases were made, Chase notified the victim that the email and phone communication were fraudulent. She then ended contact with the scammers and reported the incident to police.
Police issue community warning
Chase Bank is investigating the incident and reviewing the victim’s account to determine whether any money can be recovered.
Berkeley Township Police urged residents to be cautious of similar scams and reminded the public never to share banking details or purchase gift cards for unsolicited requests. Anyone who suspects they’ve been targeted is encouraged to call the department at (732) 341-6600.
