Scammed – How did they do that?
In recent months, we have seen a rise in a specific type of scam. We here at Kelly Community hope to give you the tools to protect your money from would-be thieves!
Scenario: You are browsing the web or reviewing e-mails on your home PC and suddenly, a warning pops up. (Our members tell us it says it is from Microsoft, but it may not be limited to this). It mentions there is a virus on the PC and gives a phone number to call. When you call the number, the person on the other end tells you they work for Microsoft, they provide an employee number, and they tell you not to worry, because they are there to help you. They proceed to ask questions about your account and computer and may even provide information that makes them sound legitimate. But don’t be fooled! These guys are not legitimate. They will go on to tell you that your PC was used to purchase some items and you must pay in cash to fix it or you’ll be in big trouble. Once they have you believing them, they will instruct you to go to your bank and withdraw cash so it can be sent or paid directly to rectify what you owe. They will even ask you to lie to your bank and tell us the funds are for something completely different than paying the debt. This is because they know our staff have been trained on these scams and will do everything we can to protect you and your money from them!
What should you do? Do not call the phone number. Power your PC off immediately and take it to a qualified computer technician so they can determine the level of the virus. Also, as a best practice, check with a qualified computer technician and determine what level and type of anti-virus software you should use. Call us at 903-597-7291 or visit us in person!
If you have any questions about the above, please do not hesitate to reach out to us – we are here to help because we care for you like family!
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