A woman was recently the victim of fraud after giving bank information after being promised free money on Instagram.
SOUTH BRUNSWICK -- Authorities say a woman was the victim of fraud after giving an unknown man her debit card, pin number and online login information to her bank account after the man messaged her on Instagram and promised her "free money," according to a statement.
Last week, after being contacted by the man -- whose Instagram username was "Mulamaker" -- the 19-year-old woman, police said, agreed to meet him at the Tilted Kilt, a restaurant on Route 1, where she gave him the all the personal items and information he had requested.
Police are investigating the case as a fraud matter.
The man, according to officials in the statement, told her that he would "have to withdraw some money as a part of the deal, but would deposit more shortly afterward."
The woman later checked her bank account activity and "noticed that he withdrew approximately $250 from her accounts at an ATM in Newark" while also depositing $3,000 in checks at the same ATM, police said. The woman told police that the $3,000-deposit was "still pending" as of Monday morning.
When she explained the situation to her mother, her mother "advised her that is sounded like a scam, and to cancel the card and notify her bank," the statement said.
The bank, however, told the woman they could "only freeze the account" and wouldn't investigate the matter until a police report had been filed.
According to the woman's report to police, "at least two other people at the Tilted Kilt reported to have been contacted by this individual," the statement said.
Authorities found the deposited checks to be fraudulent, according to police.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.