MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – A Myrtle Beach man was arrested Tuesday for his involvement in an online scam targeting Amazon users and partnering with thieves in Nigeria, according to the Horry County Sheriff’s Office.
Sgt. Sherri Smith with the sheriff’s office explains that deputies went to a home in the River Oaks section of Myrtle Beach Tuesday as part of a follow-up investigation involving the possible theft of different items.
As a result of the investigation, deputies learned of a scam targeting people selling merchandise on Amazon. Deputies recovered nearly $8,000 in stolen merchandise from the River Oaks home and were able to identify four people from as many states who were victims of the online scam.
The scam was a result of victims advertising items for sale on Amazon and a con artist posing as an Amazon representative emailing the sellers and advising them the item they listed had been sold. The fake Amazon representative told the sellers the buyers paid for the items and deposited the money with the company, but the cash would not be transferred into the seller’s account until the seller confirmed they had shipped the item.
The victims were told by the scammers to ship the items next day priority to an address in Myrtle Beach. The sellers followed the instructions and shipped the items to the River Oaks home. When the victims requested payment for their sold items, the fake Amazon representative sent an email to the seller telling them the buyer never received the items.
After feeling they had been conned, the sellers contacted Amazon directly and learned the exchange was a scam and that Amazon had no knowledge of a buyer for their items, as their items were still showing as for sale on their site. The items were being shipped to a Myrtle Beach address and the resident of that address would then send the packages to Nigeria, according to Sgt. Smith.
Daniel James McKeon, Sr. , 54, of Myrtle Beach, was arrested and charged with obtaining goods under false pretenses more than $2,000 and less than $10,000. McKeon was booked into J. Reuben Long Detention Center Wednesday at 11:17 a.m. and was released the following day at 5:33 p.m. on a $2,500 bond.
