As technology continues to advance, scams are becoming increasingly difficult to detect. This unfortunate reality struck a Rochester woman who lost her entire savings, amounting to $45,000.
To protect her privacy, KTTC has chosen not to reveal her identity, referring to her instead as Mary.
“In retrospect, you always think, ‘Oh, that was a red flag. Why didn’t I catch that?’” Mary reflected. “But when you’re caught off guard and circumstances cloud your judgment, you end up doing things that aren’t right.”
In early July, Mary received a fraudulent Microsoft notification on her computer, directing her to call a number. Mary even verified the number, which matched Microsoft’s official contact.
The scammers falsely claimed that child pornography had been downloaded to her computer.
“He said, ‘Oh, we can get this all cleaned up and, you know, get extra security for you. Microsoft will take care of all this for you,’” Mary recalled.
In a moment of panic, Mary followed the scammers’ instructions. Before she knew it, she was withdrawing thousands of dollars to convert into Bitcoin and sharing her confidential information.
“The credit cards initially amounted to about $80,000, and as far as actual cash is concerned, it was about $45,000,” Mary said.
While most of the credit card charges have been reversed, there is little the bank or police can do to recover the money taken from her checking account.
Unfortunately, the Rochester Police are all too familiar with such cases.
“We encounter this almost daily,” Lieutenant Ryan Lodermeier stated.
Lodermeier emphasized the importance of never sharing personal information and taking a moment to verify the situation.
“Take a moment. I know it might be difficult in the heat of the moment, but reach out to a family member or a loved one you trust. Ask them, ‘This is what I’m seeing. Does this seem right?’” Lodermeier advised.
He also noted that raising awareness is crucial since tracking down scammers is often a daunting task.
“The footprint they leave is generally wiped once they’re gone, making it harder to track them and stay on their trail,” Lodermeier explained.
Now, Mary is urging others to be vigilant and avoid falling into the same trap.
“If you have any doubts at all, don’t do it. Hang up or unplug your computer. Just don’t fall for the nice guys,” Mary warned.