The county sheriff’s office released a statement, warning residents of a scam that has targeted senior citizens in San Luis Obispo county.
According to the sheriff’s office, a pop up appears on the victim’s computer, telling them their machine has been compromised. The pop-up provides a number for them to call, where they are transferred to their bank’s fraud department.
The sheriff’s office says they are instead transferred to another scammer, where they will attempt to assist the victim over multiple days.
Eventually, they will attempt to arrange a meeting at the victim’s house to collect cash they ask them to withdraw, using a security code to “prove” they are legitimate.
The sheriff’s office says one victim has lost sixty thousand dollars over the scam, while another has lost a hundred and twenty thousand dollars.
Anyone who receives a suspicious pop-up on their computer is encouraged to contact the sheriff’s office.