Call from Microsoft a scam, police say
2/15/2012
By the Salina Journal
Police are warning of a telephone scam that hooked a 78-year-old Salina woman.
The woman received a phone call Tuesday from a man who said he was with Microsoft and informed her that her computer had been infected with malware, said Lt. Scott Siemsen, criminal investigation commander with the Salina Police Department.
He gave her instructions to go to a website that allows remote control of her computer, and asked for and received her credit card information to allegedly pay for five years of virus protection for $298.47. He asked for additional personal information such as a Social Security number and received it as well, Siemsen said.
Siemsen said the woman called police after calling Microsoft and being told the company does not sell malware protection over the phone. He said the woman has since changed her bank accounts, alerted the credit card company and unplugged her computer.
Siemsen warned that residents should be skeptical of calls or emails from people who ask for personal information.
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