By John Burton
MIDDLETOWN – A year after the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office set up operations for its Super Storm Sandy Fraud Task Force in the township’s Port Monmouth section, operations will be discontinued at that site.
While the task force will no longer operate at the Bayshore Activity Center, 719 Port Monmouth Road, the public is encouraged to call the hotline at 855-SANDY-39 or use the website, www.SandyFraud.com, to report cases of fraud related to the October 2012 storm.
“We set out to with a mission to protect and serve the victims of Super Storm Sandy from the unscrupulous contractors and predators who would look for an opportunity to defraud or engage in improper negligent business practices in the wake of the most horrific event in recent in recent memory,” Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said in a released statement. “We are dedicated to continuing that mission and will continue to make ourselves available for anyone in need.”
Since the task force was established, it has received 232 referrals. A total of 188 have been closed and 92 have been forwarded to the Monmouth County Department of Consumer Affairs, resulting in victims receiving more than $234,000 in direct refunds and savings in the form of negotiated bill reductions and completed work after task force involvement, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Approximately 88 cases have been examined for criminal prosecution with 63 of those cases closed. Ten cases have resulted in charges and seven have been resolved, according to the prosecutor’s office.
