NJ Woman Pretends to Be Contact Tracer, Threatens to Shut Down Plumbing Business: Prosecutors

A New Jersey woman has been accused of posing as a contact tracer and threatening to close a plumbing business over COVID-19 rules.

Prosecutors say Jennifer Strumph of Evesham allegedly told the business that she was a contact tracer with Burlington County's health department and said the county would shut the business down if they did not follow her order.

Strumph even created a fake email address for the ruse but employees became suspicious last year and reported her to the police. The 32-year-old was taken into custody on March 4 and released following a court appearance.

Police say the business owner paid $5,100 in overtime to follow the order imposed by Strumph. It's still unclear what her motive was in doing so.

Strumph was charged with Computer Crime, Criminal Coercion with Intent to Harm Reputation and Assuming a False Identity, according to the prosecutor's office.