Crime & Safety
Computer Scam Has DA Warning Santa Cruz County Residents
Residents of Santa Cruz County have lost thousands dollars to computer repair scams recently, according to the Santa Cruz County DA.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY - Residents of Santa Cruz County have lost thousands dollars to computer repair scams recently, according to the Santa Cruz County District Attorney.
The scam usually starts with a window appearing on the victim's computer saying the computer is infected with a virus.
The user is urged to call a number for help with removing the virus, at which time the scammer asks for remote access to the computer and $299 to remove the virus, prosecutors said.
Find out what's happening in Capitola-Soquelfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The scammer often says they are employed by a well-known technology company such as Microsoft.
Once the scammer gets access to the computer, the scammer infects the computer and steals personal information, according to prosecutors.
Find out what's happening in Capitola-Soquelfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Anyone who has been a victim of the scam is encouraged to call the county's Consumer Fraud & Environmental Protection Unit at (831) 454-2050 and report the incident to police or the sheriff's office.
More information on the scam can be found at the Federal Trade Commission's website.
-Bay City News, image via ShutterStock
