TRENTON
-- Division of Criminal Justice Director
Vaughn L. McKoy today announced that an
Ocean County woman has been ordered to
repay nearly $20,000 to the victims of
an Internet auction scam who bid on various
types of merchandise and never received
the purchased items. The fraudulent scheme
victimized at least 21 individuals from
the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia
and Columbia, South America.
According to Director McKoy, Hope Van
Sickle, a/k/a Hope LaFountain, 39, Herbertsville
Road, Brick, Ocean County, was ordered
by Ocean County Superior Court Judge Wendel
E. Daniels to pay $19,922 restitution
to the 21 victims defrauded by the scheme.
In addition, Van Sickle is barred from
using the Internet and must forfeit computer
equipment previously seized by the Division
of Criminal Justice - Computer Analysis
& Technology Unit.
"Computer-related
crime such as fraud and theft is a high
priority for the Division of Criminal
Justice - Computer Analysis & Technology
Unit, particularly during the upcoming
holiday buying season" said Director
McKoy. "The Computer Analysis &
Technology Unit encourages the public
to be extremely careful when purchasing
merchandise via the Internet. Always make
certain you are dealing with legitimate
companies and that any financial transaction
is via a secure server. Never provide
credit card or social security numbers
to unknown individuals or corporations.
If you suspect fraud, contact the Division
of Criminal Justice - Computer Analysis
& Technology Unit hotline number at:
1-800-396-2310 or log-on to the Division
of Criminal Justice web page at: www.njdcj.org."
On Oct. 6, Van Sickle plead guilty to
a charge of theft by deception before
Judge Daniels. In pleading guilty, Van
Sickle admitted that from Nov. 1, 1998
to Feb. 15, 2001, she used her home computer
to advertise the availability and sale
of electronic merchandise such as Sony
VAIO computers, IBM Think Pad Personal
Computers, Palm Pilots and digital cameras.
The items were listed for auction via
the Internet through E-bay, Amazon and
Yahoo. (Note: Internet auctions allow
a seller to list an item for sale at some
minimum price. The host web site gathers
bids from interested purchasers for a
specified period of time after which the
winning bidder sends payment to the seller
who in turn ships the purchased goods
to the bidder.)
Van Sickle also admitted that on 17 separate
occasions, she auctioned $17,256 worth
of merchandise she did not possess and
could not obtain, collected advance cash
payments (generally through money orders,
PayPal, Visa or MasterCard) and failed
to deliver the merchandise or return the
cash payments to the purchaser. On four
other occasions, purchasers returned $1,467
worth of low quality or substitute merchandise
and received no refund.
The investigation determined that Van
Sickle used various names and/or organizations,
including Hope LaFountain, George Van
Sickle, HBL International, and HBI International,
to receive and negotiate payments. On
Feb. 21, 2001, Van Sickle was charged
via a complaint with theft by deception.
The State Grand Jury indictment was handed
up to Mercer County Superior Court Judge
Maria Marinari Sypek on Aug. 18.
The investigation was coordinated by the
Division of Criminal Justice - Computer
Analysis & Technology Unit in concert
with the New Jersey State Police High
Technology Crimes & Investigations
Support Unit. The case was prosecuted
by Deputy Attorney General Mark Murtha.
State Investigator Kenneth Sharp of the
Division of Criminal Justice - Computer
Analysis & Technology Unit assisted
in the investigation.
Director McKoy noted that the Division
of Criminal Justice - Computer Analysis
& Technology Unit employs teams of
specially-trained state investigators
who investigate, arrest and prosecute
individuals who use technology and computer
systems to commit criminal acts in New
Jersey. As part of continuing responsibilities,
state investigators respond to consumer
complaints alleging fraud and other Internet-based
criminal activity and patrol various chat
rooms where potential sexual predators
seek to engage juveniles in conversation
and to ultimately lure a targeted juvenile
to a sexual encounter.
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