Man Scammed out of $5,000
/Scammers will try many different methods to steal money from people. From phone calls about warrants to email scams, these con artists try every avenue to separate people from their money.
This weekend a man fell victim to pop-up ad scam on his computer. The scam cost the man $5,000.
The man told Clay County Sheriff’s investigators that the pop-up ad said the computer had a virus and he should call a certain phone number. When he called the number, the person who answered told him his bank account had been hacked. The scammer told him to go buy gift cards and provide the card numbers so the money could be moved back into his account.
The victim bought the gift cards, and the scammer was able to turn his computer off remotely.
Clay County deputies have seen similar scams before and they say here are some ways to prevent it:
Install a pop-up blocker
If you do get a pop-up stating your computer has a virus or has been hacked, don't click on it.
If you are concerned about your accounts, call your financial institution. Most legitimate business will not occur through gift cards.
Warn your elderly relatives about these scams.
KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story
