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Hackers Steal $240K From Mahwah Businessman's Bank Account

MAHWAH, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Hackers are getting more and more sophisticated, and it's not just big corporations who are being targeted.

As WCBS 880's Sean Adams reported, one man's experience is a cautionary tale.

Hackers Steal $240K From Mahwah Businessman's Bank Account

In Mahwah, hackers set their sights on a local businessman and obtained enough of his personal information to convince his bank to wire $240,000 overseas.

Police Chief James Batelli said they even hijacked the man's phone number, so when the bank called to verify "That is call forwarded to Brussels and the person on that end answers all the proper security questions, which was social security numbers, mother's maiden name, hospital they were born in; and the bank thinks they're talking to the person authorized to allow that transfer to go through."

But the bank was actually talking to the hackers overseas.

Batelli said it's important to guard your personal information and regularly change your security questions.

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