Manatee County woman scammed out of more than $27K after fake security alert about child porn | FOX 13 Tampa Bay
Francesco Abbruzzino, The Uncensored Report, LLC
MCSO
SCAM ALERT 🚨: MCSO Fraud Detectives are investigating an elaborate tech support scam that cost a Manatee County woman more than $27,000.
The elderly victim was convinced to meet up with the scammers and hand over large payments of cash after she was duped into believing her computer was used to authorize a transaction for child porn. If she didn’t pay, she was told she would face criminal charges, and her information would be made public.
The scam began with a pop-up message on her computer screen from what appeared to be Apple Support, indicating threats to her Mac security. The victim called the listed phone number and spoke to a person who told her she was being investigated by federal authorities and her financial data was at risk.
Over several days, the victim was advised to create new bank accounts and directed to wire money to those accounts. She was then convinced to withdraw cash and hand deliver envelopes with the money to unknown subjects near her home.
Detectives are investigating this case and warning everyone to contact law enforcement if they encounter this scam. Fraudsters are using this tactic to first scare vulnerable victims into thinking they have a problem with their computer, then create fear of public humiliation and a threat of criminal prosecution to steal their money.
Here are some tips to protect yourself:
✔️ Ensure computer anti-virus, security, and malware protection are up to date, and settings are enabled to reduce pop-ups.
✔️ Resist the pressure to act quickly. Criminals will urge the victim to act fast to protect their device or account.
✔️ Do not give unknown, unverified persons remote access to devices or accounts.
If you become a victim:
✔️ Notify law enforcement immediately.
✔️ Contact your financial institutions immediately by using the number on the back of your bank card or by visiting the institution in person.
✔️ Change all passwords if the scammer has access to your device.