LACEY – A local woman said she lost $15,000 in a fraud case by someone claiming to be Microsoft.
She opened an email from “Classmates.com” and a few minutes later a warning message appeared on her screen. The warning instructed her to call Microsoft at a number provided. The person who answered the phone said that her network had been compromised and there were illegal purchases made with her account. She was told to withdraw $15,000 from her bank and deposit it into Bitcoin ATMs throughout the area.
The victim followed the instructions, because she was told that the money would be reimbursed. After she was not reimbursed, she called police and reported the crime.
Officials are warning anyone not to fall into a similar trap. They give the following advice:
- Never open emails from someone you don’t know.
- Never follow the instructions given by someone you don’t know.
- If you are told there is a problem with your bank account, computer, utilities or similar situation, call the phone number on your official statement. Don’t call the phone number provided by a warning message.
