A Brooklyn woman lost $100,000 in a complex scam involving a frozen computer, an in-person meeting, and a secret code word.
The retired accountant, who wishes to remain anonymous, feels compelled to share her story. “I was mortified. I even considered suicide,” she said.
One afternoon in July, her laptop froze, followed by a call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft. The caller apologized for allowing a virus to breach her system and offered to refund the premium she had paid for virus protection.
However, the caller claimed to have mistakenly deposited $100,000 instead of $10 into her account. Panicked, he urged her to return the money immediately. The woman saw $100,000 in her bank account and, believing it was an error, decided to return it.
At the bank, a teller asked if she was under pressure, and when she said no, the transaction was approved. A few hours later, she met a courier, who used the code word “red” to identify himself as “Andy.” She handed over $100,000 in cash—nearly a third of her savings.
Realizing she’d been scammed, she reflected, “How could I have fallen for this?”
The money that appeared in her account was not from Microsoft but had been transferred from another of her own accounts, possibly due to the scammers accessing her finances. Despite visiting the bank, no one informed her about the day’s financial activity or the large transfer between her accounts.
“If they had just asked, ‘Did you make a transfer?’ the answer would’ve been no,” she said.
Microsoft warns that tech companies never call customers directly or request money over the phone. “If you get a pop-up on your screen, don’t call the number provided—shut down your computer and disconnect it,” said Jeanine Launay, chief of the elder abuse unit at the Manhattan district attorney’s office.
Victims of such scams should cease communication, reset their devices, and change all passwords to safeguard their accounts.